Sovereign Keyblades Chapter 05 Keyblades and Zanpakuto
by megan.j.mcdaniel
Summary: We now add Bleach to the worlds of Kingdom Hearts with this gem. Yes, Trigun is still in it, just not the main theme.


Keyblades and Zanpakuto

The door opens and I carefully step through the Senkaimon my Keyblade has created into the Soul Society. My cloak billows in the breeze as I take in the sight of the Seireitei from up on Sokyoku Hill. The Keaton Mask firmly in place, I spread my wings wide and slowly lift into the air, being careful not to strain myself in my injured state. _Just had to get the stuffing ripped out of me, didn't I? At least I made it here without incident._ I hover as the Jigokucho butterfly from the Senkaimon flutters up to my outstretched fingers and I clear my throat before I speak. "Blessings and well wishes to all, this message is for the soul reapers of the Soul Society. My name is Megan Mawdesley, and I have come here on a mission of great importance. My mission is not unlike your own, to bring balance and to protect the defenseless. I am on a crusade against creatures born of darkness and evil intentions, parasitic shadows known as Heartless. These shadow beings are not unlike Hollows, but are made up of the darkness that resides within the heart itself. I am here to repel these Heartless and seal your world from the destruction they bring. I have come in peace and ask for an audience with your leaders to discuss in detail how we can aid each other with no hostilities between us. I await meeting your peace envoy at Sokyoku Hill, since this is the only area I could get to without causing an unnecissary incident. I formally request the presence of Captain Jushiro Ukitake as well as Captain Shunsui Kyoraku in the peace envoy, or for their trusted subordinants to come in a gesture of good will. I await your favorable reply, so we might parley to the benefit of all." The Jigokucho flutters away as I take a deep breath to calm my nerves. I descend back to the ground, retracting my wings so they meld into my back and dissapear. I set my bag at my feet and open it, bringing out my blanket to sit on as I wait. I bring out a few empty bottles as well as a container of grape juice, taking the binder with Ansem's Reports along with all my notes and journals out and setting the binder in front of me. I then bring out the olive branch I brought with me and place it in my arms. I flick the ends of the blanket with a toe, and small flames dance into the air to keep me warm as I wait. My weakened body protests at my movements, but I do my best to conserve my energy. I give a quick prayer that things go smoothly and I wait as the minutes tick by. I reach a hand out to warm my cold fingers on one of the floating flames when three soul reapers appear. In front is Lieutenant Nanao Ise, followed by Third Seats Kiyone Kotetsu and Sentaro Kotsubaki. I take the olive branch and extend it to them in a welcoming gesture. "Excellent, I was hoping my request would be honored. Greetings to you, I am pleased to speak with you. I extent this symbol of peace to you in the formal form of an olive branch, since symbolism means as much as formality in many places I've visited. But it begs me to wonder if Captain Ukitake is well, or did they decide for you three to meet with me first?" Lieutenant Nanao places her fingers to her glasses and adjusts them, "I requested that we meet with you first, to determine if you posed a threat. You are an outsider, a Ryoka, and therefore must be approached with caution. But it would seem you have gone to some lengths to appear courteous. How did you get into the Soul Society, might I ask?"

I set the olive branch in front of me and I take one of the flames circling me in my hands. "Forgive me, I would have knocked. But the Senkaimon didn't have a knocker." All three of them look surprised at this as I continue, "Do not overly concern yourselves about my using the Senkaimon you all use for doorways, I only used it to make sure I didn't appear to be sneaking my way to where I needed to be. I'm able to make portals to wherever I need to go, to whatever land or world I need to protect. Using the Senkaimon seemed the most prudent way of getting here, though in hindsight it was much more difficult than I figured it would be. Took a bit of effort to get the actual Senkaimon to appear and not another portal somewhere else. But after a few minutes of trying, I got it. Please sit down, I have juice for all of us if you so wish." They walk forwards and onto the blanket, each of them sitting in front of me as I bring out the grape juice and float it into the air to pour into an empty bottle. "I'm afraid I don't have regular cups for us to use, but I have done my best to provide some comforts to ease this discussion along. In front of you is a binder containing all my information on both the Heartless I mentioned and my exploits in my crusade against them. Though it's not in Japanese, the paper should shift the lettering to Kanji for you to read. Sorry if I don't use my hands to pour our refreshments, my fingers don't work very well right now. Such is considered poor manners, but I'd rather not drop the bottles and have glass everywhere." I levitate the bottles of juice towards them, shaking my hair loose from it's tie and removing the Keaton Mask in the process. Kiyone gives a gasp as my face is revealed. A few stitches are apparent on my left cheek and a very black eye is clearly visible, plus my lip is slightly swollen and busted. I sigh as Sentaro notes my appearance and comments, "Looks like you lost a brawl recently." I take a drink out of my juice bottle, wincing at the sting of the sugar on my busted lip. "I lived, that's considered a win in my book. I was supposed to stay in the hospital, but duty calls and there isn't anyone else to do what I need to do. In any event, I will give a short explination for you." I place the juice bottle down as Nanao reads through the binder, and I talk as she reads. "Though I am here to fight, my opponents are not you or anyone else here in the Soul Society. I've seen a bit of what goes on here as well as what the soul reapers do, and I must say I have a lot of respect for all of you. Particularly, your two captains. I saw what happened when Rukia Kuchiki was supposed to be executed and how both your captains dared to question the sense in it. I also saw what Aizen did and how he betrayed all of you, so needless to say I was hesitant in coming here after all that's transpired. I am only here to fight against the Heartless, to find the doorway they use to enter other worlds, and then seal it so they cannot pass through. If I can help the Soul Society while I do so, I would be happy to lend any aid I am able. I also plan on going to Karakura Town and placing another seal there if needed. But I wanted to first 'extend an olive branch' to the Soul Society. I can make extra copies of that binder for everyone, it just might take a bit to do so. Also, some of the research notes may be from an imposter claiming to be Ansem, but I am not sure which parts are suspect. But it's all I've got and I will share it freely with you. I do however have to be very careful right now, since I'm still in recovery."

I bring my hands closer to the flame in my palm and sigh, "Of all the times for my hands to be difficult. Get warm already." To my surprise, I hear footsteps coming and we all turn to see Lieutenants Renji Abarai, Shuhei Hisagi, Izuru Kira, Isane Kotetsu and Rangiku Matsumoto all come towards us with concerned looks on their faces. I give them all a polite bow and tell them, "Welcome to you, I am pleased to have more guests in this discussion. I should probably get another blanket out and more bottles for refreshment, if you'll give me but a moment." I reach into my bag and bring out more bottles as well as two more blankets. I levitate one to lay it on the ground for them to sit on, the other I place around my shoulders to keep me warm. I pour more grape juice for them as each one takes a seat. I bring out a few more dancing flames to keep the area warm as I tell them, "Apologies, but my fingers don't want to work at the moment. But here, I'm sure there's enough juice to go around. I'd have brought something to eat if I'd been thinking so many of you were coming. It's such a pleasure to get to meet all of you in person. I've actually been wanting to for ages!" I give them my warmest smile as I take a sip from my juice, wincing again as the sugar bites into my lip. Many of them look skeptical of the juice, but a few do finally drink some as Nanao finishes reading the binder. She passes it to Izuru first as she makes formal introductions. I give a polite bow to each as they are introduced, but when I do so to Rangiku, she smiles and tells me not to be so formal. Nanao begins to run down what I've said and what is in the binder as everyone sits and gingerly drinks the grape juice. I answer the few questions they ask me, starting to shiver as I just get colder. Renji notes this and asks me, "Are you okay? You look really pale and like a good breeze would blow you over." I sigh at this and tell them, "I wasn't supposed to be moving around yet, let alone traveling anywhere. I'm still recovering from a really bad fight and haven't even gotten halfway better. But I'm the only one who is fighting the Heartless, so I don't get sick days. I'm just wishing I could get warm!" I sneeze and I get a bloody nose, holding a hand up as I mutter, "Lovely, now I'm a faucet." Rangiku leans over and hands me her hankerchief and I take it with a thank you. She smiles at me and Izuru hands the binder to her as I hold my hands together and summon a larger flame to hold in front of me. Kiyone watches my actions with interest, so I lace my fingers through the flames and change it's color for her as she gives an audible gasp of wonder. I hold my hands in the flame as it sputters, warming them slightly so my fingers are no longer stiff and unresponsive.

I give a muffled yawn as the reports are passed from one lieutenant to the other, pouring more juice when asked. Shuhei gives me a glaring look after he hands the binder to Isane and says, "I don't like it, you being here and all. You're a Ryoka and shouldn't be trusted, for any reason. Regardless of your polite interactions with us." I nod at this as Rangiku openly scolds Shuhei for saying this."Shuhei! She hasn't done anything to warrant such a comment! Where are your manners?!" But I shake my head and tell her, "It's quite all right. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, and Lieutenant Hisagi has a valid point. I expected for you all to try hunting me down immediately. But since I'm not up for being chased all over, I was just going to surrender the moment a confrontation arose. But this is playing out far better than I planned." I drink the last bit of juice in my bottle and ask if anyone wants more, which they all politely decline. I nod and bring my hands up, tracing my aura into the air. Water begins to form around my fingers as the scent of lavender wafts around me. I use the water to rinse my bottle out as many of them watch with interest. Each one hands me their bottle for me to clean, and I place each one back into my bag as Isane finishes reading. She goes to hand the binder back to me, but I tell her, "Keep it for the time being, you can turn it in when you report to the captains. I know you'll have to talk amongst yourselves, so I'll give you some privacy to do so. I need to stretch my legs a little, so I'll walk around a bit. I won't go out of sight, and I'll leave my things here. All I ask is that you not turn me in to Research and Development. I'd rather not be in a lab getting dissected by scientists and fruitcakes." I give a formal bow to them and then I reach into my bag to bring out my beat up old walking staff. I get to my feet with more effort than I wanted, but am surprised when Izuru looks at me and says, "I'll walk with you. No sense in leaving you on your own." I actually blush at this as I tell him, "Really? Thank you, I'm honored to have your company, Lieutenant Kira." He nods at this as I step off the blanket onto solid ground.

I walk with Izuru next to me, and I note that he's giving me a few casual glances. I note that his hand rests casually on his sword hilt and I ask him, "Your zanpakuto, as I have heard, is quite unique. Wabisuke is it's name?" Izuru nods at this and I say, "It suits your division then. To lament." He gives me a surprised look as I smile at him, "I did do a little digging to find out about all of you for when I came. Hence why I found out about your captain and his deception. I wanted to give my condolences for the sad affair Aizen's betrayal caused everyone. I wish I could have helped in some way, even just a little." Izuru nods at this and comments, "Though I'm guessing any extra effort for you will have you falling over right now." I laugh at this as we make a circle around the group still sitting on the blankets with heated tones. I tilt my head as I hear Shuhei express the need to lock me up, which gets Rangiku to explode at him. As I hear Isane agree with her, my foot slips and I have to brace myself with the staff. Izuru stops as I growl at myself, "I am rightly sick and tired of not being able to do basic things without feeling like an invalid! But considering how bad things could have been, I'm grateful I'm still breathing at this point." I sigh as I look to Izuru and tell him, "I wanted to show all of you that I'm at least as strong and competent a fighter as the rest of you, that way you might look at me with respect and consider the benefits of having me here to parley with you over this Heartless fiasco. Oh well, the best laid plans of men are often left to ruin by the circumstances unbeknownst to them. Speaking of, has anything strange been reported to you or the captains to your knowledge?" Izuru nods and comments, "There have been quite a few more Hollows appearing than normal. But they've looked odd, more like what was in those notes you have. But many just dismissed it as either rumor or not important enough to pursue futher investigation." I take a moment to stand there as I process what Izuru has said, gripping the walking staff tight to keep myself upright. I go to start to walk again, and my grip on my staff actually breaks it in half. I tumble forward with a yelp, but Izuru grabs my arms and steadies me with his support. The staff falls to the ground in pieces as he asks me, "Are you all right, Ryoka?"

I look at the staff and I actually tear up as I note how badly it's broken. "No... No, I'm not... That was a very prescious gift... and now it's ruined..." Izuru helps me lean down so I can pick up the two biggest pieces. I sigh as I toss the pieces back on top of each other and I mutter, "Another priceless gift now in too many pieces to put back together. My magic teacher, my Abishal, gave me that staff when I was four and learning to craft my power. I've had this staff for two full decades, and now it's kindling. It seems nothing is meant to stay as it was once. Nothing ever lasts, even the memories fade along with the mementos and fond feelings." I take my hand and sweep it over the pieces, and they burst into flames. Within seconds the wood of the staff is incinerated, then the ashes blow away into the air. Tears fall from my eyes as Izuru gives me a moment to collect myself. I take a deep breath and nod and Izuru brings me back up to a standing position, then he wraps his arm in mine to steady me. His fingers lace into my own and he says in surprise, "Your hand is like ice!" I sigh at this as my energy wanes a bit. He leads me back to the group and I note, "Just like the rest of me, I haven't felt warm since I woke up in the hospital. Thank you very much for helping me, by the way." He nods and tells me, "It's quite all right. I don't think you would have been able to walk for much longer anyways. We'll get you to the relief station for treatment, I'm not letting them take you anywhere else." I bow my head at this as we walk back up to the others. Renji gets up and asks "Wait, what happened?" Izuru sets me down in front of Isane and says, "Her walking staff broke and she's in no condition to walk without help. She's also ice cold to the touch. Therefore, I'm voting we take her to the medical barracks, immediately." I grumble at this under my breath, but I can't deny that I'm reaching my limits. Isane takes my hands in hers, and her eyes widen in shock, "You're right, Izuru! She's in no shape to even be moving! Kiyone! Sentaro! Go directly to the 4th division barracks and tell them I need a stretcher!" They both nod at this and dissapear as Nanao leans over to touch my arm, and she too looks stunned. Izuru tells the others, "Get the other blankets up off the ground, she shouldn't be this cold." Renji and Rangiku get one and shake it out to wrap it over me as I mutter, "I'm wishing you wouldn't fuss. But considering how I'm feeling, I won't complain if I fall over." The other blanket gets folded into a pillow to lay my head on it as Isane starts to examine me thoroughly, and I close my eyes as I lay down for her.

Isane gently traces her hands over me, muttering under her breath as she does so, "Mild head fracture... shoulder damage... hands have mild nerve damage as well... Her entire chest is a mess! Multiple healing ribs and a significant break in-" She stills as she chokes on her words. "Half her sternum and five ribs are refused back into place! This is extensive trauma!" I chuckle as I tell her, "If it's any consolation, even I'm amazed I'm still around." Isane continues to examine me, but Renji pipes in, "How recently did you get hurt?" I don't bother to answer as Isane answers for me. "From what I can tell, it was three or four days ago. You shouldn't even be conscious!" I chuckle as Kiyone and Sentaro return with the stretcher, "What can I say, I'm a lone warrior against an entire epidemic of horrendous monsters. I don't get days off, for any reason." I open my eyes to note that Renji is kneeling over me with his face close to mine and he says to me, "Just how is it you aren't dead yet?" I smile at him and reply, "Divine intervention is one idea, another is that someone enjoys my prolonged suffering. You can give suggestions at any time if you want." He snickers at this and says, "You have a sense of humor. I'm starting to like you, Ryoka." I grin at this and say, "I'm glad, Lieutenant Abarai. I've been wanting to meet with many of you face to face for quite some time, instead of observing from a distance to learn how to approach all of you." Renji puts his hands under me as Shuhei grumbles under his breath. Izuru puts his hands under my legs and both he and Renji lift me up to place me in the stretcher. Rangiku tucks the pillow blanket back under my head, then Kiyone and Sentaro lift the stretcher back up with me in it. Nanao packs everything but the binder back into my bag as Renji says, "Right then, Izuru, Rangiku, and Nanao should go report back to the captains. Shuhei and I will escort the Ryoka with Isane." I snort at this and say, "Yeah, since I'm a highly dangerous Ryoka and pose a severe flight risk at this point! Everyone better sound the alarm, when I can't even move without falling on my face!" I close my eyes as a few of them laugh, and we all head out down the stairs that lead away from Sokyoku Hill. Even though I get bumped around a bit, I manage to drift off as I shiver in the blankets. Renji places a hand on my shoulder and before I fall asleep he says, "In any event, welcome to the Soul Society."

I wake to the feeling of gentle hands on me, the sound of hushed voices drifting through the air. The sounds of a monitor near me chimes out readings and an IV needle is in my arm. I give a groan as I note I still ache in places, and the voices go quiet as I open my eyes. Standing over me is Isane and Captain Retsu Unohana, the captain with her hands on me as she heals me. I blink a few times to get them into focus, but my vision stays slightly hazy as Captain Unohana exclaims, "Oh! I was wondering if the monitor was working right, but it seems you are coming around after all." I focus on her as best I can as I say to her, "Captain Retsu Unohana? I'm surprised to find myself under your direct care. I'm not sure if I should feel honored or aprehensive. In any event, I'm pleased to meet you face to face." She smiles at this and Isane tells me, "She insisted on healing you herself, even though a few of the captains were trailing behind to voice their displeasure at her decision. Thankfully, most of them showed their support of helping you, at least for the time being, until they can all go over the binder Nanao gave them." I blink in surprise as Captain Unohana picks up the narrative, "Captain Ukitake and Captain Kyoraku were insistant that we treat you with the same courtesy you showed to the envoy. This was followed by Captain Hitsugaiya as well as Captain Komamura and myself, but a few of the captains shot down that idea out right. But Head Captain Yamamoto took into account how you weren't in any condition to be of any harm to anyone, and so decided to let us treat you while he personally went over your binder. He's reading it at my desk right now, actually. He was insistant that he speak with you the moment you came to." I go wide eyed at this as I hear a grumbled cough on one side of the room. "Very informative, it explains much in what we've been hearing about goings on in the Seireitei recently. These sketches among the photographs are also impressive. I take it you are an artist, Ryoka." Isane moves out of my view in a bow, and there to take her place is Head Captain Yamamoto. I am very aware that I should bow or something, but I instead nod my head and say, "It is a great honor for me to be so graced by your presence, Head Captain Yamamoto. I would have loved to meet you under more appropriate circumstances, I find it a shame that we had to meet simply because of the threat the Heartless pose and not for more posetive reasons." His voice is kurt but polite as he asks me, "I have gone over your notes many times over, and have a few questions for you, Ryoka." I nod and bow my head in respect, "I will answer any questions you have for me, save for ones I am bound by sovereign law to uphold. Some secrets I carry are not mine to tell, but I will be as open and honest with you as possible without breaking my old oaths." The Head Captain raises and eyebrow at this, "Hmmm... I can respect such an admission. Very well, then." He asks me a few questions regarding the Heartless and their difference from Hollows, and I do my best to explain in as much detail as possible. If I'm not sure about my answers, I tell him so and note my own viewpoints through my experience. He also asks about my Keyblade and what it can do, and I actually take what energy I have to summon my Paceweaver. It takes a bit more effort as the light glows in the air, then my Paceweaver appears hovering in the air in front of the Head Captain. He nods at this and takes hold of it with great care, examining it with a careful eye as I tell him what it is able to do. But soon my energy gives out, and with a huff the Keyblade again dissapears as I pant, "Blast it! My apologies, sir." He shakes his head and tells me, "Quite all right. I'm impressed you could even let me see it in your condition." Captain Unohana frowns at me as she scolds me, "You shouldn't be using any of your energy right now. I'm going to ask you to refrain from doing anything more, you have very little Reiryoku left. It's a wonder you are even awake and talking, which I'm going to also have to put a stop to." She traces a finger over my face and my eyes get heavy. I sigh as sleep once again claims me, just getting out a polite, "Yes, ma'am..." before I drift off.

When next I wake, the stars have made an appearance outside and all is quiet. A single lantern illuminates the room I'm in and I gently roll onto my side. The bed is feather soft, as are the sheets as well as the pillow, and I'm tempted to just go back to sleep. But I'm really thirsty and want to get my bearings. I look around the room to see I'm the only occupant out of the six beds. The moon shines down in it's full glory, and the stars twinkle like gems in the night sky. I sit up slowly, taking note I have a bit more energy than I expected. I'm not as cold as before, but I'm not very warm either. I look down to see I am in a white robe of simple make, noting it's very soft against my skin. I check to see how it flows around my legs so I don't get tangled in the material, and I cinch the tie around my waist a little tighter so it doesn't fall open on me. I am just about to swivel my feet out of the bed, when I hear footsteps approach from down the hallway. I look to the door and see a light coming, and am not surprised that the one to appear is Hanataro Yamada. He looks surprised that I'm awake, though. "Oh! I didn't think you'd be up." I smile and say, "I've always been a night owl. My name is Megan Mawdesley, and you are Hanataro Yamada?" He blushes at this and asks me, "Yes! Yes I am, but how do you know my name?" I smile at him and tell him, "I saw your efforts to save Rukia when she was sentenced to be executed." He goes even redder at this as I continue, "It's clear to me Ichigo and Ganju wouldn't have gotten very far without your help. You are quite a skilled medic, Hanataro-san." Hanataro gets really flustered at this and accidentally drops the lantern he's carrying, but I point a finger at it and it hovers in the air instead. I getsure for him to pick the lantern back up as I say absently, "Were you just making the rounds, or did you come in here to check on me?" Hanataro brings the lantern with him and sets it on the nightstand next to my bed. "Actually, I volunteered to check on you. I was curious and wanted to meet this Ryoka everyone has been talking about." I laugh at this and I carefully bring my legs around to sit on the bed in front of him. "Glad I've become a celebrity, though I'm wondering if it's good publicity or bad that's going around. Probably a mix of both." Hanataro nods at this and he offers to take my hand, which I gratefully accept. I brace myself and then gingerly put my weight on my feet and stand up. He helps me keep my balance by placing an arm under mine, but then he goes red again at the close contact. I reach out my free hand and flick him playfully on the nose, teasing him as I say, "What's with the blush, you getting nervous? It's fine, Hanataro-san. I appreciate you helping me, how else am I going to get around without my walking staff to help me?" He stares at me and I'm surprised when he tells me, "It isn't that, it's just- well- No one actually told me- what you look like- I wasn't expecting someone so- so young or pretty to be a Ryoka." I still at this and raise an eyebrow in question as he continues to stammer, "Well I know you got really hurt, and that you'd been hit in the face, so you weren't- I mean- It's just-" I put a finger to his lips and say, "I'll take your words as the compliment you were aiming for, Hanataro-san. Just slow down and take a breath already. You don't need to be nervous around me. Think of me as a friend you can speak openly with. I'm not going to judge or hold anything against you." He blinks a few times and then smiles, "Oh, okay. Well then, shall we walk around a bit?" I nod at this and say, "First stop, getting some water." He smiles at this and helps me walk out of the room. He asks me, "Would you like to get something to eat as well?" I nods at this and say, "That sounds like a good plan to me. Let's head for the kitchen and we can make something for both of us. It'll be good exersize for me and we can get to know each other better."

We walk down into the kitchens and I pull out a seat as he gets me a glass of water. I thank him and drink as he looks over what we can make. I direct him to make a simple stew with rice, and I even help with the preparations. Lieutenant Isane wanders in after a bit with a groggy look on her face, and I pull up a chair next to me as I chop vegetables at the counter while I sit in a chair. I tell Hanataro to add a little to our meal so she can join us, and he get a little flustered at this. I snicker at him as Isane notes, "I'd imagine you to be asleep, you weren't even out for a day. Yet, you seem to be completely awake and alert." I laugh at the envy in her voice as I put the onions I've finished chopping into the stew that's cooking. "I love the night time, and usually lose all my energy once the sun comes up. So it's not that suprising my internal clock has me wide awake. So, any news or rumors floating around besides me?" Isane sighs at this and tells me about how a few soul reapers have gone missing. I still at this as she explains they had gone out on a routine mission to take care of what was considered a normal Hollow appearance, but they haven't reported back yet. I grit my teeth at this as she says that two full squads were sent out to investigate an hour ago. I growl low in my throat at this, flicking my knife down to thunk into the cutting board in my agitation. Both of them seem surprised if not impressed I can do such in such a weakened state as Hanataro asks me, "Is it the Heartless, Megan-san?" I nod, "I learned to scoff at ideas of coincidence a long time ago. If they aren't back by midday, then I will insist on going out to check myself. I would also like for you to come with me, Hanataro-san." He drops the spoon he was using to stir the stew into the pot, and I float the spoon back up and tap the stew off of it with a careless gesture. "ME?! Why would you want me to come with you?!" Isane also looks surprised at this and I Iook Hanataro in the eyes as I say, "I'll need someone I know is dependable to watch my back, someone who can heal and tend to any survivors. I'm still not fully recovered, and will likely burn myself out in a fight. Should that happen, I'll need you to make sure I get back here, if only to continue my mission. These Heartless won't go away unless I seal the door they are using to get here. No Ryoka, no Keyblade. No Keyblade, no seal. No seal, no Soul Society." I place my hand on Hanataro's shoulder, and I ask him, "Please Hanataro-san, will you do this and stand with me against the darkness? For your friends and comrades, will you help me protect your home?" Hanataro stands there as Isane sits watching us, then slowly I see a look of determination come across Hanataro's face. He reaches up and places his hands on my shoulders, all sense of shyness or meek tendencies dissolved as he tells me with a grounded resolve, "Yes, I'll go with you. I'll stand with you, Megan-san." I smile and tell him, "Good, but since we are now comrades as well as friends, I insist you drop the honorific in my name." He blushes at this and nods as Isane comments, "You are determined to plow yourself into the ground, aren't you?" I shrug at this, "Whether I'm up for it or not, it will always be do or don't. There is no middle ground in this. You either fight or you fail. And I for one am not going to let anybody die while I can still fight to protect others. How I fare after the fight is the nagging question, if only for finishing why I'm here. I've felt that the last few years have been borrowed time, so I can't really complain if it runs out soon. I've had more blessings than I believed possible, so I will choose to be thankful instead of bitter over the end when it does finally come. Hold nothing back and you shall have no regrets for what you give. I'm thinking the stew is done, so grab a bowl." Isane looks into the pot and asks, "Didn't you make too much?" I chuckle and say to them, "We have someone I'm guessing is going to join us in five... four... three..." As I count down we hear footsteps coming towards the kitchen, and sure enough three more people walk in. In front is Captain Unohana, but I am shocked at who is behind her.

Following behind Captain Unohana is Captain Shunsui Kyoraku and Captain Jushiro Ukitake. I flush red as I meet their gaze and say, "Oh-kay... I was expecting Captain Unohana, but I wasn't expecting for her to have company..." I give a formal bow to them and say, "Truly, I am honored to meet the both of you. I was hoping to gift Captain Kyoraku a bottle of sake for his birthday as a peace offering, but I'm sure Lieutenant Nanao still has my bag with the gift still inside it." Everyone looks mildly surprised at this, and Captain Kyoraku actually looks embarrassed as he asks me, "You knew it was my birthday tomorrow, Ryoka?" I look up at him and ask him, "Isn't tomorrow July 11th?" He nods at this and I say with relief, "Oh good, I did get it right! I was wondering if my intel was accurate, but it doesn't hurt to plan ahead anyways." Captain Ukitake laughs at this and I look to him and say, "I'm hoping you are doing well, Captain Ukitake. I was worried when your subordinates came to meet with me and wondered if you were all right." He nods at this and tells me, "Yes, and I must say that stew smells divine. You must be a good cook, uh... Megan, wasn't it?" I smile and nod as Hanataro shifts uncomfortably, and I tell them, "Actually, Hanataro-san did all the work, I just mediated. He's the cook here tonight, not I." Hanataro goes very red at this and tells me, "I think I'll take my meal to my room, if that's all right." Isane decides to do so as well, and both bow out graciously. I get out more bowls for everyone by waving a hand in the air, with the other braced on the counter to keep me upright. I tell them, "I think Hanataro-san forgot I needed help walking in here in his hasty retreat. He'll berate himself the rest of the night once he remembers, bless him." This gets the others to laugh as Captain Kyoraku offers me his arm, and I take it gratefully. I take my hand and waft the pot of stew to the table as well as the bowls, along with a pitcher of water and glasses for each of us. It takes a little more effort than normal to lift all the items to the table. But I manage it with only a small bit of my aura, the scent of lavender wafting around me. Captain Kyoraku takes a deep breath at this and asks, "Is that perfume I'm noticing, or did you set out flowers somewhere Unohana?" I chuckle as he sits me down and I say, "No. That was my Reiryoku, as you call it. I usually don't need to use much in order to levitate things around, but I'm not fully recovered yet. But it's an old and basic ability, so I should be fine." Each of them has a seat as Unohana frowns at me, "You shouldn't push yourself for any reason, we could have set the meal out." I shake my head at this, "The young are expected to tend to their elders and superiors, and since I'm only 24 that makes it my responsibility to- Oh shoot! I forgot the spices in the kitchen, one second!" Before anyone can offer me a hand, I actually levitate myself into the air in my haste, and float over to the kitchen. I grab a few of the spices I left on the counter and bring them with me back to the table as I say, "Silly me, I forgot these." All of them are staring at me and I mock hitting myself on the head as I realize they didn't know I could do that. "Oops! Yeah, forgot I'm not supposed to do that. Bad me, bad! Apologies, Captain Unohana." She smiles at this as Captain Ukitake says to me, "Having you around is going to be very entertaining." I flush at this and we all enjoy the meal. As we eat, the mood lightens to a more casual atmosphere, and I enjoy chatting with them. They even tell me to stop adressing them so formally, and I go a deep red each time I do so.

When we've all finished, the entire stew is gone as well as the water in the pitcher. I instinctually try to get up to take care of the dishes, but Unohana puts a hand to my shoulder to keep me seated, "Now, now. Let the men handle that. You sit here with me to keep me company." I look to Ukitake and exclaim, "You're going to make them do the dishes? Can I make an appeal on their behalf?" She laughs and says, "You may, but it will do little good. Now, sit a little closer so we can have a girls discussion while they do all the work." Kyoraku laughs at this as he grabs the pot and the pitcher, with Ukitake collecting the bowls. But I lace my hand around in the air and the glasses float away to the kitchen to free up his load. He thanks me and I blush again as they both walk off. Unohana notes this and leans close to ask me, "I take it you fancy him, then?" I give a nervous giggle as I put my hands to my mouth, and she smiles at me as I say, "Please don't say anything, I'm already on pins and needles without any added stress. Reason one why I was worried about coming here was how everyone is so formal and regal in the way you all behave. I wanted to make a good impression, yet I was aware how outsiders are treated here. But seriously, he's gorgeous! It's going to be nerve wracking to keep this professional, or else I'm in deep trouble later!" She looks at me quizzically, and I tell her, "I'm taken, Retsu. I have two suitors waiting for me, and they mean everything to me." I lace my fingers on the surface of the table, and an image of Vash and Wolfwood standing with me appears. They run after me over the surface of the table, and my image laughs as I bring out my wings to fly into the air. As Unohana watches with fascination, Vash jumps up and catches me by my wrist and I bring him up with me off the ground. Wolfwood is left behind for only a moment before I loop back around and grab his waiting arm and we take off into the air. Ukitake and Kyoraku come up behind me as the image flies over the table, both of them looking at me as I weave my fingers in the air. The smile that plays across my lips is of genuine joy as we all watch the images soar up and around in the air over the table. The image of me with my two cherished loves goes sailing, then we plummet straight down to then stop all three of us a few feet from the table. My image drops them as we all go tumbling over the table's surface. We end up tangled in a heap, but all three of us are roaring with laughter. The both of them hug my image tight and I give a long sigh as the image fades.

I put my arms on the counter and lean down, and tears patter on the surface of the table as I cry. "For so many years, I was fine with being alone. I had made peace with becoming an outcast, shunning others and keeping to myself. With them I found a place where I was once more truly happy, and now I'm alone again. I never realized just how hard it would be, to leave them both behind. I swore I could do this on my own, so that they wouldn't get caught in the crossfire. It would seem I've gotten soft in my need for companionship, but part of me is glad for the weakness their absence brings. It makes me feel human, albeit pathetic and ridiculous." I sigh as I put my head in my hands and grumble, "Criminitely, and now I'm a basket case again. Everyone turn around so as not to see this very humiliating display of mine." Ukitake actually leans down to eye level with me, catching a tear before it falls to the table on his finger. The look in his eyes is sympathetic as he reaches out to place that hand on my shoulder. I'm completely entranced by his gaze, sitting back up off the table as he tells me, "I'm sure you'll see them again, and once you do, it will be like you never left them. That's the way it usually is with those whom you love so dearly, you'll be able to pick up right where you left off the moment you get back." I blink a few times, then I sigh as I say, "Yeah. Though I'm sure they will be quite cross with me, since I left without giving them the chance to try coming with me. Maybe I should stop trying to act all formal to impress everyone here. I'm not like that by nature, and being so is getting to be highly tiring." Ukitake laughs at this as I smile back at him, "It's fine for you to be casual with us. I for one would prefer it if you acted more naturally. But we should all get some rest, it is rather late." I note this and ask him, "Should you have even been up at all in your condition? I would think you'd need to be-" I'm then interrupted in the form of Hanataro barreling into the room, and he's apologizing a mile a minute. We all note he isn't making much sense, so I sigh and say, "Didn't I say he'd be kicking himself for forgetting I can't walk on my own?" As Hanataro keeps running, I then realize he's not going to be able to keep upright on the slippery floor. I shout to him, "Hanataro! Stop! You're going too fast!" He tries to stop himself, but his momentum into the room sends him sliding on his feet. Before he can topple over and into a head on collision with the table, I weave my palms to halt him in the air. His face is a bare inch from the top of the wooden table and I tremble from the adrenaline rush his close call sends through me. I lift him upright with a flick of my hand and gently set him down. He sways a little as his feet takes his weight, and I have to get a few good breaths of air as the adrenaline rushes through my system. "Great way to scare me, Hanataro! Last thing I want is for you to break yourself as an apology! Please, for the sake of my heart rate, don't do that again!" He nods furiously at me as I put a hand to my chest. "Sorry, Megan! I'm so sorry! I completely forgot you needed help walking around!" I wave my hand at this, "I knew you'd remember and feel bad about it, but it's okay. You're allowed to make mistakes, Hanataro. I knew you'd be back to help me, so don't worry about it." He finally settles down at this, then he starts to smile as Kyoraku adjusts his hat to cover his eyes from my view. Ukitake actually laughs at this as I look up to him, and I gently squeeze his hand as I tell them, "This applies to everyone in the room, you're considered as friends to me now. So be forewarned, I plan on doing my utmost best to keep all of you from getting hurt in this Heartless crusade, no exceptions!" Each of them smiles at me as Ukitake helps me up onto my feet, and he holds onto my hand as Unohana and Kyoraku exit the room together.

Hanataro comes around to bring his arm under mine, but my knees shake and I say, "Oh shoot. Might need more than an arm this time around, Hanataro. My legs aren't wanting to cooperate for me anymore. Maybe you can-" Before I know what's going on, an arm goes under me and I'm being picked up off my feet. I yelp in surprise as Ukitake holds me and walks us out of the kitchen, Hanataro following behind us with his hands in his sleeves. I go very red in the face as Ukitake tells me, "I'm sure you won't mind me escorting you back to your room, do you?" I am very aware of my hormones going crazy at this close contact, so I do my best not to squeak as I tell him, "If I said I did, would you have believed me?" He chuckles at this, and I can feel it vibrate in his chest as he holds me closer. His warmth radiates into me and without meaning to I put my head on his shoulder, letting myself enjoy his touch. I place my hand on his other shoulder and lace my aura over him in a Regen spell, since my biggest worry is his illness causing an attack while he's carrying me. He notes the scent on the air and looks down at me and I go even redder. I whisper so only he can hear, "Wanted to make sure you didn't strain yourself on my account. We'd both look silly if we ended up on the floor." He looks surprised at this, but his smile is warm as he thanks me, "I'm touched you would think of me over yourself. But I'm thinking you do that for all those you come to care about. I must say, you are quite a unique individual Megan. Hopefully, we will deal with this oncoming danger with little difficulty, so you can take some time to heal." I nod as we enter the room I was in, and Ukitake lays me back down onto the bed. Hanataro grabs another blanket as I actually shiver from being cold. I look over to the window and flick a finger out to shut the blinds completely. Ukitake helps Hanataro cover my legs with the blanket as I mutter, "I really wish you two wouldn't fuss. I hate feeling like a damsel in distress, I absolutely hate it!" This gets them to laugh at me, but then Ukitake grabs one of my hands in his. I look to him in surprise as he tells me, "But it is a man's duty to serve a lady in need, is it not?" I blink at this and say to him, "My two suitors would laugh themselves to death at the idea of my being a lady! I honestly don't ever act like a proper lady, I'm to much of a tom boy and a clown by default." But Ukitake just laughs at this. He leans down and kisses my hand, causing my hormones to sing a high note at the look he gives me. "You are courteous, humble, thoughtful, and show a desire to place others above yourself. So, therefore, you are a fine lady indeed." I'm speechless as he bows down to me and bids me good night, walking out of the room with Hanataro staring first out the door and then to me. I'm absolutely stunned and look to the hand Ukitake kissed as my hormones dance over me in searing heat. I look over to Hanataro, who tells me, "Your face is really red, Megan. I didn't expect him to do that, either. But it's obvious you really didn't expect him to even carry you." I shake my head at this and tell him, "I never even considered it. Maybe I did from Captain Kyoraku, but not from Captain Ukitake, what with his coughing fits." I lay back onto the pillow with my hand still stretched out in front of me and I say in a low voice, "Part of me never wants to wash this hand ever again... Geez, that man could be a deity! Yet, I always believed no one would ever look my way for any reason! Consider my mind to be blown!" Hanataro just laughs at me as I smile up at him, then he brings the blankets up over me as I roll onto my side. I reach up to catch his hand in mine and he looks at me. I squeeze his hand as I tell him, "Thanks for coming back for me, I appreciate it." He nods and then grabs the lantern that still sits on the nightstand. I wave to him as he leaves the room, then I snuggle into the bed to get comfortable. I fall asleep with the hand Ukitake kissed close to my face, wondering what will happen come the morning.

***** End of part 1 *****

I'm awakened by the sound of gleeful laughter, as someone small jumps on top of me. I give a slight "oof" as said person starts hopping up and down on me. "C'mon Ryoka! Wakey wakey! Kenny wants to see you once you wake up!" My eyes fly open at this as I realize it's Lieutenat Yachiru Kusajishi and that Captain Kenpachi Zaraki wants to see me. The sheets are tugged down from my face, and I come nose to nose with Yachiru as she exclaims, "Good, you're awake! So, let's go see Kenny!" Before she can say anything more, I hear someone exclaim, "Lieutenant, I'm pretty sure she needs a bit more time than that to get ready." I look to the doorway and see Third Seat Ikkaku Madarame standing with Fifth Seat Yumichika Ayasegawa, who has my bag with all my things inside it. Both of them look rather annoyed, since I'm guessing they got roped into escorting me. I look to Yachiru and say, "I'm thinking I should wonder why I'm being summoned, but I'm sure I have no say in the matter. Lemme get up off the bed first, please." Yachiru makes a pouty face at me and I tell her, "I'll be quick, then we can see him." She grins at me, then hops off of me as I bring my legs around to have me sit on the bed. I point to my bag at Yumichika's feet and fresh clothes come out into the air as I take my robe off. "Since we're in a hurry, you can turn or watch. Fine by me either way, just don't say you weren't warned." Yumichika just huffs at this and says, "How uncouth! I would think a lady would be more modest." Ikkaku just smirks at this, "At least she's no nonsense and to the point." My undergarments come off and both of the guys stare at all the marks and scars on my skin. Yachiru just cocks her head to get a better look at the gash along my shoulderblade, letting out a noise of amazement as she traces the old scar with a finger. I tug on a fresh pair of underclothes as Ikkaku exclaims, "Renji was right to say you got floored! You must be quite the fighter to have survived all that punishment!" Yumichika just looks agast as I hitch my bra in place, "Such hideous wounds, do you even bother to take care of yourself?!" I look at him as he shakes his head at me, "I'm not one for primping Yumichika, it's what's on the inside that counts. Besides, the enemy is usually more concerned about gutting me than flattering my appearance. So why bother trying to look good when no one is going to appreciate the effort?" I throw on my most basic jeaned shorts and a grey top, then grab my brush and hair ties as I say, "Though if you have any pointers, I'd be more than happy to take some fashion advice later. All I have to say is no pastel colors, they tend to wash me out with my complexion." Yachiru starts pouting next to me, but I then hand her the brush and ask, "Wanna help to make this go faster?" She nods and starts to run the brush through my hair, helping me put the lengths in a basic braid. "Might as well get my hair out of my face. If one of you could give me a hand with walking, we can head out in five."

Ikkaku steps forward just as Yachiru snaps the hair tie over the end of my braid, then she hops onto my back in elation. "Yay! Time to go see Kenny!" Her added weight sends me stumbling off the bed, and Ikkaku catches me to keep me from falling on my face. We get a little too close, our faces barely a few inches apart as Yachiru teases us, "Hey now, we need to go see Kenny. No time for kissing or flirting." As Ikkaku starts to blush at this, I get adventurous. "Nice save, Ikkaku. Such chivalry should be commended, so I'm thinking a quick one won't hurt." I close the few inches between us to kiss Ikkaku on his mouth, tasting sake and moaning in pleasure. Ikkaku is so shocked he doesn't move, but Yachiru notes, "Wow, I've never seen anyone be so bold! You've go guts, Ryoka." I shiver slightly as I nip his bottom lip, making him flush completely red as Yumichika leans against the doorway. I laugh as Ikkaku shakes his head vehemently to clear it once I've broken contact and I say, "A true man is recognized by what is in his heart, and any true woman will see him for this quality. Besides, now I've got bragging rights! But that was well enjoyed, I thank you for the tasting Ikkaku." Yumichika just laughs as Ikkaku starts grumbling, but he keeps his arm around my waist to help me walk to Yumichika. I'm then handed over as Ikkaku states, "You take her! I can't deal with this kind of thing!" He walks off with my bag as Yumichika smiles at me and I say, "Pity, I was hoping once I was better to at least get a sparring match out of you, Ikkaku." This gets him to stop, then look over at me, "Really?! You'd want to spar with me?!" I nod with emphasis "Oh you better believe it! I'd love th get a chance to polish my skills against an actual fighter and not someone who is still learning!" Yachiru giggles, "I'm sure Kenny would be up to fighting with you if you're strong." I sigh as we walk through the barracks, "I'm thinking that might be a bit dangerous for the both of us. At full power, many of my moves have instant killing effects. But I am hesitant to do so, since all my abilities are what you'd consider Kido based. Granted, power is power and strength is strength, regardless of whether it's physical or kido in my book. But it would be cheating to use a few of my tricks, since no one can survive getting their insides blown out or decapitated." Yumichika grunts at this, "True, but the trick wouldn't work if you can't get past the Captains reiatsu." I smirk and admit, "I'm guessing reiatsu don't mean jack if I'm using my power to halt time." All three of them look at me as I chuckle, "Granted I can only do it for a short period on my end, but it works wonders! It only takes one good shot, and I'm not the type to drag a fight out against someone I hold no grudge against. I'd rather enjoy crushing someone who's asking for it than fight someone I genuinely respect." Ikkaku cocks his head at this and I admit, "Like Aizen for example, I'd so enjoy stripping that piece of filth apart piece by piece into nothing but wasted meat. Though it'd be more of a slaughter since I hate that guy, he needs to be slowly skinned and quartered to then be lit on fire in my opinion." Yumichika gives a shudder as Ikkaku smirks at my admission, "Sounds like you have a ruthless side. I'd love to see what you could do to someone when you really want a piece of them." I snort and tell him, "What do you think happened to put me in this state, Ikkaku? I ran full tilt and practically burned myself past crispy, but doing so doesn't quell my offensive one bit. If I find the bastard that tried killing my friends back home, I'd let you have a front row seat, Ikkaku! It will be exceptionally bloody, it will be searingly painful, and there will be nothing left of the wretched bastard once I finish! I give no quarter when it comes to defending and avenging who I deem as mine!" Ikkaku smirks at this as we walk out of the barracks of squad four and start heading for their barracks. I take my aura and bring out a summoned fairy, charging it with a simple task spell to lead us in the right direction, though Yachiru keeps trying to lead us the wrong way as per her nature.

It doesn't take long for us to get to the squad eleven barracks, with only a few of the squad members taking notice of us when we head in. Many of thesquad members are in the training hall sparring or watching those that are sparring in the center of the room. Over in the corner is Captain Kenpachi Zaraki, looking very bored with his eye closed and his head propped on an arm as he lays there on his side. Yachiru jumps off my back and runs to him shouting, "KENNY! I brought the Ryoka like you asked! She's funny, she got Cueball all flustered by kissing him!" This gets Ikkaku to fume and shout at Yachiru, "I told you not to call me that!" But I focus my attention on Kenpachi as he finally opens his eyes to look at me. I look to Yumichika and mutter, "This must look so shamefully pathetic, let go of me so I can move on my own!" Yumichika starts to say, "What are you talking about, you can't walk on your-" But I bring out my wings, lifting off the ground to hover off the floor. Everyone turns to stare as my aura blooms around me, the scent of lavender brief but apparent. I take a breath and glide myself over to Kenpachi, who has now gotten up into a sitting position. His eyes never leave mine as I touch down in front of him and I give a curt, "I seem to have interrupted your nap, sorry for that. Yachiru was a bit insistant I come to see you. I won't bother being formal, I honestly don't see the point. But since you wanted to see me, what did you need?" He grunts at this as he says, "I'll say this much, you are quite different from the other Ryoka that have been here. Though judging from your reiryoku, you wouldn't be worth fighting." I sigh at this as Yumichika comes up behind me and I nod at Kenpachi. "Even if I was at optimal fighting performance, I use mostly kido and we'd only end up at a stalemate to my estimation. You have the most reiatsu between us, I have a few powerful artifacts that could boost me to par, possibly. A part of me is severely tempted Kenpachi, I would revel in the challenge and we'd most likely have much of the Soul Society in ruins around us. But you have more stamina than I do, you'd win simply because you'd get back up after we both fell over. Besides, I'm not about to fight to the death with you, not when I have a duty to perform and I actually have a ton of respect for you. So for the moment, I will respectfully decline, at least until I'm back to par to then provide you an adequate challenge." Kenpachi just snorts at this, "Great, a workaholic weakling. I was hoping-" Before he can finish, my anger burns through the air. My aura actually laces a deep cut over his face, which gets everyone to stare with avid attention. As Kenpachi notes he's actually bleeding, I hiss at him. "Watch what you say when you know little of who I am. If it were up to me, I'd be long dead by now, after ripping as many filthy stains like Aizen to nothing before I keeled over. But I have a promise to keep, someone who died for me and others who expect me to return to them. My life belongs to others, so for their peace of mind I have to keep myself as safe as possible. My purpose is to fight for others who cannot fight for themselves, but implying what I do for them as being weak earns my ire, Kenpachi! So unless you want me to lose any and all respect for you, be aware of this before you insult me again! Don't make me teach you the price of such words by ripping your tongue out to force feed it to you!" Both Yachiru and Yumichika look shocked at my tone, but Kenpachi just grins at me. "So, you do have some spunk after all. Good! I wanted to get a better idea of who you are and what kind of fight I can expect from these Heartless we read about." I float over to the door to the backyard near where Kenpachi is sitting, looking out to where some of the squad members are sparring in the fresh air. Kenpachi gets up to stand behind me as I ask, "One of the groups that went out last night is from here, I take it?" Yachiru walks up to me and puts her arms around my leg, "Yep, and we haven't heard back from them. Everyone is getting antsy, so Kenny thought we should ask you what we should expect if they don't make it back." I clench my fists at this, "Depends, either they were outright killed, or they have become like the Heartless. They may just keep their physical appearance and be able to use their zanpakuto for all I know, but anyone who is swallowed by the dark so completely has little hope of being salvaged. Many kind of Heartless have physical immunities and can only be harmed by kido type attacks. Others can only be harmed by physical strikes and absorb kido that is used against them, so knowing which ones do which is crutial in any fight."

Kenpachi shifts his weight behind me and I continue, "Dammit! Why didn't anyone tell me this sooner?! It would have helped knowing which squads were sent out last night, now we have to investigate if your squad members became like the enemy to add such power to their ranks. If it's all right with you Kenpachi, I want Ikkaku and Yumichika with me when I head out. Having a balanced team with me is my main priority, and I want those two on my front line formation. So as long as you give the all clear, that part of my strategem is set." Yachiru giggles at this, "You want more stawberry time with Baldy, don't you?" Ikkaku growls at this, but I decide to lighten the mood a little. I tell Yachiru, "Aren't we a little mischief maker. Hold tight and I'll take you for a ride." Before anyone can ask what I'm doing, I lift off the ground with Yachiru still holding onto my legs. She squeals in delight as I twirl around in the air, going a bit higher as I somersault and twist all around. Yachiru shrieks in delight as the wind rushes past us, "YAY! HIGHER! GO HIGHER! WHEE! HAHAHA! FASTER, FASTER!" I catch a glimpse of the others watching, but I speed up to send us whipping through the air before I loop around the backyard to do a few barrel rolls. I actually grab her and toss her into the air and she squeals as I catch her. She hugs me tight as I touch down to retract my wings, then we both fall back onto the ground as she roars with laughter. Yachiru kicks her feet into the air, and I let out a few pants as she exclaims, "That was so much fun! Can we do some more?!" I huff out a breath as Yumichika walks out to stand over us. "That would be a definite no, she shouldn't have done that in the first place." Yachiru jumps off me as Yumichika offers me a hand up. I mock chide him, "I didn't realize you were such a spoil sport. As long as you don't tell Unohana, we should be fine." I walk back over to the others with Yumichika helping me, then I sit down to prop myself against the door frame. Some of my braid has come loose, so I take my fingers to snap the tie out of my hair. I lace it into my fingers and aim the band at a fruit in the tree, then I release it. The band goes sailing to hit the fruit, causing it to sway a few times before falling as I say, "Well, at least my aim is still good. Makes my fingers itch to get my bow out for some practice. Archery is one of my many passions." Kenpachi takes a seat next to me as Yachiru chooses to jump into my open lap. She laughs as I tickle her, and Yumichika gets in a kneeled position behind me, "Honestly, I can't stand seeing your hair in such a mess. Sit still and I'll fix it." I chuckle as he gets a spare brush out of his sleeve, "Fine by me, Yumichika, go crazy if you want. Just don't cut it short, or I will be in very big trouble with a certain someone." Ikkaku smirks as Yumichika actually gets excited, "Really, you'd let me style your hair?! Excellent, wait right here while I get some things!" He runs off to his room as I groan out to Ikkaku, "I'm going to regret this, aren't I?" Ikkaku laughs at this, "I'm sure he won't go crazy, but you did say it was all right." Yachiru laughs at Ikkaku, "Well, he wouldn't be able to style your head." Before Ikkaku can fume at her, I give her a light pinch, "Okay Yachiru, that's enough. No more teasing Ikkaku, or no more rides." She actually pouts at this as Kenpachi laughs at me. "You are bold to tell her that!" I smile at him as Yumichika comes back, a few kanzashi hair ornaments in his arms. He's also carrying a few yukatas and I go wide eyed in shock. "Seriously, you want me to wear a kimono?!" He nods at this, "We were told that the Head Captain wants to have a meeting with you present in a few hours, so we might as well make you look presentable." I sag to the side as I exclaim, "Oh, you gotta be flipping kidding me! Yumichika, I've never worn a kimono before, how am I supposed to move and fight with it on me later on?!" All of them look surprised at this, but I shake my head, "Oh heck with it, I might as well learn on the go. Plus, if there's going to be a Captain's meeting with me as the sole topic, I'd better put my best foot forward. I just hope you know what you're doing." I get Yachiru up, and she walks over to sit in front of Kenpachi. I lift into the air to unbutton and whip my shirt off, getting everyone's attention. I then kick off the shorts as I hover in the air, "Modesty is not in my vocabulary. So feel free to stare, I really don't care. In fact, I might get a few good rumors from this group with all the abuse I've put myself through."

I bring myself around as I hover in the air and Kenpachi goes wide eyed. Every cut and mark upon my skin feels like a badge of honor as they all stare, and I note a few of them murmuring with what I take as compliments from true warriors and fighters of known renown. I hold out my arms and note, "Are you sure the yukata will be the right size, Yumichika? I mean how can you know if I don't?" I then note that Kenpachi is still staring at me, which gets me to turn to fully face him. "Captain Kenpachi? I didn't think you would be staring at me with such a look of interest. Is something wrong?" He gets up to walk over to me, standing right in front of me as I hover just under eye level. I feel myself flush, but then he asked me, "Am I to assume you got that really large gash from one of the Heartless?" I blink at the question, then I nod. "Yeah, it was a Dark Thresher. Someone made that beastie custom just for me, so I don't expect to have another one show up. But with any luck, they might send a dozen of that Hunter of the Dark kind your way." Kenpachi gets a wicked grin on his face, "Great! That one looked like it would put up a good fight!" I put my hands on my hips and tell him, "I'll be sure to let you have at them, then. I for one don't have the energy to tackle such an enemy at the moment. I'd be put out if I had to fight a hundred of those multiple weak Heartless like that one raid. It was loads of fun, but I don't have the reiatsu to do that at the moment. You want in on the action, Captain Kenpachi? I openly invite you to come with me for the mayhem. Heck, I'd enjoy watching you dance to the tune of battle, since I'd love to see what you could do in a real assault up close." He laughs at this, but Yachiru surprises me by reaching up to touch the burn on my leg. "Why did you get hurt so bad? Did the enemy take you by surprise?" I chuckle as Yumichika picks a yellow yukata out of the pile as I tell her, "Actually, I saw it coming. But if I had moved out of the way, someone else would have been killed. So I stood my ground and got ripped open. Every scar and mark has been to protect the people I love, so I cherish them as much as I do the ones who give my life meaning. As long as I'm the only one that gets hurt, I could care less what condition I'm in at the end of a fight. But you can't live off the high of a fight for very long, sadly." Ikkaku grunts at this as Kenpachi sits back down. I ask Ikkaku to shove my bag over, which he does by kicking it across the floor. I stop it with my own foot, and I reach in to bring out some candy for Yachiru as well as a battery powered bubble maker. She gasps in delight as she pops the sucker in her mouth, then grabs the bubble maker to run around the yard with it. Kenpachi notes her elation and tells me, "You must like kids, it's been a while since I've seen her this happy without getting into mischief." I shrug as Yumichika walks up to me as I say, "I've been told I'm good with kids, but I'm never quite comfortable around them. But she's probably much older than me, I'm only 24 after all." Kenpachi laughs at this as Yumichika brings me around to face him, "Let's try yellow with a red obi first off." But then he hesitates, his one hand still on my wrist as I ask, "Something wrong?" He frowns at me, "Should you be this cold? I'd think you were dead with how frigid you are." I lace his fingers into mine, "I always run at a cooler temperature Yumichika. Granted, I've been cold since I woke up in the hospital. But right now I'm only slightly cool. But I appreciate the concern." I squeeze his fingers before letting go, my smile genuine as he returns the smile with equal warmth.

Yumichika brings out the juban that one wears under the yukata and slips it on me, his fingers lingering for a few seconds more than I expected to make me blush a little. He helps me secure the yukata with the obi, then steps back to look at the color on me. I turn for his benefit and tell him, "You'd be better off picking cooler specrum colors like blue or green, red and yellow are considered warm specrum colors and don't suit me very well." He nods at this as he takes the yukata off me, asking me, "How would you know that?" I smile, "I'm an artist, so knowing colors for paintings and such is a given." He rummages through the small pile as Ikkaku says, "You honestly look like you're enjoying this, Megan." I grin at this and admit, "Is it wrong for me to feel pampered, Ikkaku? I never take the time to dote on myself, so this makes me feel like a queen!" Both Yumichika and Ikkaku laugh at this as Yumichika gets out a koi fish patterned yukata with a light blue background. I slip into it and he ties it with a bright green obi. I give a turn and say, "I like this one, but you're the expert Yumichika." He frowns a moment, then he says, "Actually, that looks quite good, the orange of the koi suits your hair." He cinches the obi into a fluent bow in the back, then places a round hand fan into it for me. I give a laugh as I kneel on a cushion Ikkaku brings out so Yumichika can do my hair. Kenpachi has already lost interest as he lays on his side next to me, Yachiru coming to sit next to him while she watches us. "Wow, Meggy. You look really different." I look to her and say, "Thanks Yachiru, did the bubble maker run out? I can refill it if you want." She nods and I reach into my bag to get the extra bubble containers. I unclip the empty one, then clip a new one onto it and hand it back to her. She jumps back down to run around again, and Yumichika notes, "For someone who's not used to kids, you seem to do well with the Lieutenant." I hold my hands up and shrug, "Meh, I figure I shouldn't do anything that wouldn't come naturally. My question is can you do anything with my hair? It's a bit on the shorter side and very curly in places. I'm hoping you don't have to straighten it to get more length, but it would help since it goes well past my shoulderblades when the curl is taken out." He huffs at this, "I don't think that will be needed, I have a few ideas." His hands run through my hair in an almost loving caress and he tells me, "Though I must admit, your hair is absolutely lovely. It's soft to the touch and shines like fire in the sunlight. Is this your natural hair color, Megan?" I nod at this "It used to be just straight brown, but then I spent an entire summer out swimming at the beach, and the red highlights came out shortly after. I didn't even know until my dad told me, and that meant it was a significant change. My dad is colorblind, he can only see blue and yellow. But the moment I stepped out from the shade into the sunlight, he demanded to know when I dyed my hair red. it took a bit of convincing that I hadn't." Yumichika chuckles at this and he sound rather envious when he tells me, "Must be nice, having such lovely hair." I laugh as I tell him, "Are you actually implying that you don't like yours?" Yumichika scoffs at this and I chuckle as Yachiru runs past us in the backyard. "Hardly, I choose to take care of my appearance, unlike some people. Now then, what should we do with yours?" I tell him, "Keep it simple, I'd rather not look all done up like a maiko with a nihongami hairstyle. Plus it needs to not get squished when my armor is on and my helmet hugs my head really tight. And don't you dare try putting make up on my face, that stuff won't work with all the bruising and stitches on my face."

It is then my bag starts smoking and I immediately open it to find the mirror inside. "ACK! Why is he wanting to talk now, of all times?! Ah well, be prepared to hear shouting, since I'm in VERY big trouble!" I bring out the mirror as Ikkaku leans down next to me to see what it is that's emitting yellow smoke. I trace my fingers over the edge of the mirror and at once I see Wolfwood in the reflected surface. A loving smile plays across my lips as I say to him, "Hello, my love. I didn't expect to hear from you so-" He glares at me as he shouts at the top of his lungs, "Like I believe that! Just what exactly were you thinking leaving the hospital?! You are in no condition to be going ANYWHERE! Where are you and what made you think you could leave in the first place?!" I sigh at this as he continues to fume at me, "Four days, Megan! You were out for four full days! In a coma! With half your front ripped open and little to no energy to even breathe! Why would you dare leave, without me, to go wherever you ran off to?! I demand you come back here at once, so I can-" I interrupt him by chuckling at his frustration, "Oh Nicholas, ever my protective golden wolf. Take a breath already. Besides, why would I dare to take you off world with me? We both know there's still much to be done there, so sadly the one without a Keyblade has to stay to keep things under control. I'm truly touched at your evident concern and love for me, but I'm not about to bring you to where I had to come. Outsiders are highly frowned upon, so bringing you along would have made things even more complicated. But I swear to you, I'm all right. I'm actually getting a oriental makeover at the moment. Or didn't you notice the yukata I'm wearing?" I float the mirror away from me, so he can get a better view as I kneel on the cushion. Both Ikkaku and Yumichika look amazed at my use of the mirror, even Kenpachi has an eye open to watch. I take my hand palm open and twist my wrist, expanding the mirror's reflection to give a larger picture. Wolfwood just stares as he takes in what I'm wearing to exclaim, "Shee-it! Now I've seen everything! Since when do you wear anything in the form of a dress?!" My laughter is full of love and joy as it peals in the air like bells. "There's a first time for everything, Nicholas. I for one wasn't going to pass up the opportunity since Yumichika offered to make me more presentable when I go before their leaders in a few hours." Yumichika gives a wave behind me, "I was adamant, I just couldn't stand seeing her in those miss matched clothes a moment longer!" Ikkaku kneels down next to me as I gesture with my hand to him, "Ikkakau promised me that Yumichika won't go over the top or anything. But in any event, might I introduce to you all to Nicholas D. Wolfwood. He's one of my two suitors and is quite the marksman where he's from." Ikkaku just smirks at me with a knowing look. "No wonder you grabbed the mirror right away." Yachiru jumps up onto the deck to walk in front of me, and I say to Wolfwood, "And the little mischief maker is Lieutenant Yachiru Kusajishi, while we also have Captain Kenpachi Zaraki over to my left." Kenpachi gets up to stand next to me, and Wolfwood puts his sunglasses back on right away. I can tell from Wolfwood's tone of voice he is concerned about my safety as his says, "Why do I get the feeling you are camped smack dab in the middle of trouble?" I can't help but roar with laughter at this. "HAH! Hardly! If anything, this is the safest place on this whole world! All of the acclaimed fighters are here in this squadron! No one in their right mind would dare attack anyone here, it'd be asking for a swift and complete pounding!"

Yumichika lets out an agitated huff of air while he tries putting my hair up and Wolfwood chuckles as he tells me, "I wish I could take a picture of this. Vash would get irate about me having a picture of you in a formal dress, which would just make it all the more enjoyable." I do my best not to move as I sigh and ask him, "Must you torture him so, Nicholas? I'd rather you didn't, he's had enough of that from others without us adding on." Wolfwood just grins at this, "Sorry, you're right. I'm just glad to see you're okay. But why would you leave so soon? You can't be better already, you barely had any energy to stand!" I sigh at this, "Yeah, well. I still need help walking around. The walking staff I had... it broke..." He looks at me with sympathy in his eyes, "I really hate to hear that, I know it was important to you. Hopefully, you can make another one just like it, but I'm guessing it wouldn't hold as much value as the original." I nod at this, a few tears lacing down my face as I say, "Considering it was made by someone who has no desire to craft such things anymore, though he would gladly make an attempt for me. I'm sure I can make one of my own, it just might take me a while to get to doing so. But since it was my only walking staff on hand, I'm either hanging onto someones arm or levitating around. Sadly, my legs and feet don't want to cooperate with me just yet." Wolfwood glares at me over his sunglasses, "I figured as much. I have choice words for you and your stubborn nature. But that's one of your many quirks I've gotten used to. I'm still not happy you left with only a letter for me to read after the fact. Though I appreciate the books and notes you left for me to study in that bag you made for me. Tell me what is going on over there, how are things going against the Heartless on your end?" I give him a brief run down of where I am and what I've found out, ending with the missing rescue teams and the meeting in a few moments as Yumichika finally finishes with my hair. Wolfwood takes his sunglasses off as Yumichika comes around to look at my front. I look into the mirror as Wolfwood says, "Hot damn, Megan! You look absolutely fantastic! Now I really wish I had a picture of you!" I blush at this as Yachiru starts clapping at me, "Yeah, Meggy. You look like a real lady now, much nicer than before." I go even more flush at this as Wolfwood traces a finger over his mirror, letting my own reflect my image back to me. My hands go to my mouth in amazement, noting that Yumichika has clipped a few pins into my hair shaped like koi fish to accent the pattern of the kimono. Though my face still has a black eye and my cheek has that same scar and stitching, I'm amazed at the change. "Is that really me? Maybe we should take a picture, Nicholas. Give me one moment." I get out a piece of blank paper out of my bag, then I waft it over to the image in the mirror. The page twirls once before it touches the surface, then it sinks through the mirror to the other side. As I tilt my hand to reflect the image back to show Wolfwood, he catches the paper in his free hand. Lavender soaks the back of the page with golden script, but on the front is a perfect photo of me kneeling on the cushion. Wolfwood smiles at the photo, "I didn't know you could do that. But I'm glad you did, now I can carry a picture of you wherever I go." I smile at this as my voice takes a lower tone. "You always have a piece of me with you, and I'm not referring to my necklace, my Tovaras." He brings said necklace out from under his shirt, the cross glinting in the light. "So true, but it's reassuring to see you're taking care of yourself. I'm going to insist you be extra careful, and the moment things get too bad, you come right back so I can keep you safe. I don't want to see you get that hurt ever again, will you promise me that much at least?" I lower my head for a moment, but then Yachiru pipes in to tell him, "Don't worry, Nick-Nick! We'll make sure Meggy is safe from those nasty Heartless thingies! That way she can come home and you two can make amends for all the fun she's having here with us!"

Before Yachiru can say anything more, I reach over and lightly take her hand. She looks surprised as I do my best to distract her from telling Wolfwood about my kissing Ikkaku. "Yachiru, would you like another sucker? I think I have a few more in my bag, and I'll put more bubbles in the bubble maker for you." She gives me a knowing look, and I reach into my bag and bring out five suckers at once. She gives me an innocent smile and takes the suckers as she says, "Okay, but you really shouldn't hide things from your lover, Meggy." She walks off with the suckers as I sit there stunned, and Wolfwood looks just as shocked as me. Ikkaku snickers at the look on my face and I mutter out, "There, Yachiru got payback for you, Ikkaku. But I wouldn't call us lovers, not yet anyways." Wolfwood flushes deep red at this and I know full well I'm blushing as well. But then Wolfwood takes the opportunity to ask me, "I'm sure we can fix that once you get back. I know I'm more than open to the idea, we've known each other for half a year. How about another archery match to decide? Same idea on the points, only this time I make you all mine!" His words send heat rushing through me and I shiver at the prospect such a claim means. I choose instead to tell him, "Nicholas, once this madness with the Heartless is completely done, I will be more than happy to start planning out my future. If that special someone turns out to be you, I would be truly blessed. But you should be aware of something, my golden wolf. Should you want me in such an intimate way, I would expect all of you in turn. Wolves mate for life, and I would demand such of anyone who wishes to lay such a claim." Realization dawns on Wolfwood's face. "In other words, make it official and get a ring. I was expecting you to say that, though I didn't want to tempt the issue." I look him in the eyes, holding his gaze so he knows I'm serious. "I made a vow long ago in regards to this and my chastity. You know me, Nicholas. You want me, all of me, you will have to make a permanent commitment. The same applies to Vash, I already told him that while we were alone together. I love both of you more than I believed I would ever be able to feel, so I don't want to ruin what we have for any reason. But if you do wish to ask for me to be yours, be sure to at least wait until this madness is over. I will gladly give myself to someone once they have proven that they mean to be with me indefinitely and completely. But only once I see a conclusion to this crusade on the horizon will I begin to plan for such a future." Wolfwood holds my gaze as my words sink in, then he says, ""I get that, but what happens if Vash asks you the same time I choose to?" I flinch at this and look away, the very idea setting me on edge. Everyone notes my distress as Ikkaku says, "And from that reaction, she isn't sure how to answer that." Wolfwood sighs at this as I start to tremble, tears leaking out of my eyes at the idea of choosing one of them over the other, leaving one of them very hurt and my unable to mend that kind of pain. But then Wolfwood catches my attention, his aura lacing over my face in a gentle touch to draw my gaze back to him. He gives me a rare smile, gentle and patient as he says, "I shouldn't have pushed you like that, I'm sorry. Just at least promise me you'll come back so we can have that chance. The rest can wait, just be careful and do your best to come back." I nod at this, "I think I can manage that. But know this Nicholas, you and Vash have more of me than you realize. I am not complete without you with me. I'm sure that will never change. In this sense, I am already yours." He smiles at me, his aura tracing over my skin and warming my heart with notes of sweet brandy lacing through each breath I take. I give a pleased sigh as his aura dances over me and settles my nerves, lacing over my body and blood to trace over my very heart. The beat skips as his love laces through my chest, his smile knowing at what it is he's doing to enact such a thundering pace. I give a long sigh as his aura traces sweet brandy through me, the others noting the scent as I say, "Mmm... Now I feel warm again. Thank you, my Tovaras."

It is then I note a Jigokucho flutter down to rest on top of the mirror, and I point up to it. Ikkaku gets up to hold out his hand, and the Jigokucho flies down to alight on his outstretched fingers. I look to Wolfwood and say, "Seems it's time for me to get moving. I'll talk to you later, my love. Be safe, okay?" Wolfwood snorts at this, "I thought that was my line? But if you need to go, then get going. The sooner you get what you need done, the sooner you can come back." I hold my hand out to the mirror and twist my palm, reverting the mirror back to it's regular size. I hold my hand open for the mirror to come to hover in my open palm, and I take my free hand to blow Wolfwood a kiss. He catches it in his free hand and grins at me like a love struck fool, then the image of him fades. I set the mirror back into my bag as Ikkaku says to us, "All the Captains and Lieutenants have been summoned to appear immediately for the meeting. It's regarding the missing soul reapers and the rescue squads, along with the fact that the Ryoka's arrival coincides with this." I huff at this to grumble, "Lovely. I sound guilty already and I didn't even do anything yet. Ikkaku, would you mind being my plus one for the meeting?" He nods at this, but Yumichika grabs my bag and says, "We'll both go and support you. It'll help if I'm there to show you how to walk in that yukata and the geta I set out for you to use, plus you'll have a back up guard as a bonus." Yachiru runs up to jump onto her regular perch on Kenpachi's back. Kenpachi looks over at me, "Feh, another meeting full of words and no action. You have any good ideas if things don't go well for you, Megan?" I shake my head as Ikkaku and Yumichika take an arm to lift me up, "None. I honestly don't have any desire to go against the Soul Society. Should I need to escape to Karakura Town or back home, that will mean everyone here will suffer until I find a way back to place this seal. That is not an option in my book, so I'm praying vehemently for things to go wrong later on and not now." Kenpachi just grunts at this, "Well if it helps, I don't plan on going against you when you can't even put up a proper fight. All I expect is to find out what happened to my men, so I am going to insist I have you with me for that. We can use that excuse to keep you here, even if it is under my direct juristiction." I give Kenpachi a stunned look, "Damn... I'm honored that you would say that to me. Seriously, it means a lot to hear that. Even if it isn't because you actually trust me yet, but it's a step in the right direction." Kenpachi just grunts at this as he tells me, "Trust is won on a battlefield, not with pointless discussions. You've already shown you have survived a long life of conflict, all that's left is to see where you stand on this particular fight. Either way, it should prove interesting and your presence at least ensures a confrontation." I actually laugh at this, "HAH! So true! I actually like that we're of the same opinion on this! I find it funny that some of the other Captains sell you so short, which shows their idiocy in my book. But I have to wonder how much trouble those said idiots are going to cause me in this escapade." Yachiru smiles at me as we all walk out, "Don't worry, Meggy. We won't let anyone hurt you. If Kenny says he'll help you, then the whole squad will too." I give a sigh of relief as we head out, "Thank goodness. That's one headache solved. The big question is how insistant Captain Kurotsuchi is going to be about dissecting me, and how many times I'm going to have to decline his special treatment as a test subject. But thank you Captain Kenpachi, I'm truly grateful for the support you've graced me. Now let's go face the music, and hope like hell things aren't as bad as I'm dreading."

By the sounds of shouting in the meeting hall, I'm guessing things are going very badly. Both Ikkaku and Yumichika have an arm under my own to help me walk, with Captain Kenpachi behind me and Yachiru perched on his shoulder. Captain Kurotsuchi is yelling like a tyrant, with Captain Komamura grumbling back at him. I can also hear Captain Hitsugaiya in the midst of this arguement, but his voice isn't as clear through the outbursts Kurotsuchi is making. I hang my head slightly as Ikkaku notes, "Dang, what got him all riled?" I groan in dread as the term Ryoka is tossed about like a curse, then I steel myself. I then take a deep breath and tell them, "Might as well get this over with. Just don't let that fruitcake near me, I don't want him playing with my insides for any reason!" Ikkaku nods at this and I fling the door open to let us enter. All the Captains and Lieutenants are present, with Captain Kurotsuchi standing in the middle of the room. All of them have turned towards us and I say loud enough for everyone to hear, "My ears should be quite crisp by now. Probably means something has happened I wasn't aware of, so let's cut through the quid pro quo and find a workable solution." Ikkaku and Yumichika walk me forward as Kurotsuchi stomps over to me, fuming at the top of his lungs. "So! The culprit deems to show herself! I demand to know what kind of evident witchcraft you used on my men! Right now! I don't for one moment believe these creatures are not under your or someone elses direct control! But since you are the only Ryoka here, that means it can only be you!" I blink a few times before my anger burns over me and I retort just as loudly, "You telling me your squad was sent out to look for the missing soul reapers?! That's highly unlikely in my book! I'd rather believe you dispatched them on your own authority to collect specimens for you to study! Which would mean you made a mistake and got more good soldiers lost in your need to satisfy your curiosity! Your fault, not mine, so stop throwing a hissy fit! And if the Heartless were under my control like you damn me for, do you think I would let you take that kind of tone with me?! Stop acting like a five year old in the middle of a tantrum and act your age already!" Everyone looks stunned at my words, Captain Kyoraku tilting his head away to hide his smile. Captain Kurotsuchi looks stunned at first, then he bellows, "HOW DARE YOU! You would speak so flippantly to a Captain like this? I should have you-" Before he can finish I cut him off. "Wow, I got it on the first try didn't I?! I'd clap my hands if it wasn't so regretable! Your actions are the insult here! Not my calling you out on your blatant disregard for the lives of your men! Add to the fact you were probably told not to investigate anything and all squads were to stay on standby just deepens my disgust at your actions! So unless you have any helpful suggestions on how to fix this, go back to your corner and silently sulk unless otherwise asked!" A few of the others smile at my words, but I keep my eyes locked on Kurotsuchi as he sputters at me. He tries to stare me down, but I just glare right back at him until he looks away. He turns around to mutter obsenities as he stomps back to his post. I huff out a breath as I say to all, "Well then, now that we can all hear ourselves think again, let's get this meeting underway." I snap my fingers and open my bag, removing a parcel from the far pocket. I levitate it over to Captain Kyoraku as I say, "First off, I would like to present a birthday gift to Captain Kyoraku. I pray you are showered with blessings on this day and every other day following." He catches the parcel with a free hand, then gives a curt nod in my direction. "Thank you very much, Ryoka." I give him a genuine smile as Captain Unohana tells Lieutenant Isane to get me a cushion to sit on. As I kneel down onto the cushion, I see Captain Kuchiki twitch ever so slightly. But I give a formal bow to Head Captain Yamamoto, touching my head to the floor in respect. I stay there until the Head Captain says to me, "You may rise, Ryoka. Though I am surprised you would say such brash things to Captain Kurotsuchi, considering how polite you have been to the rest of us. Might I ask why this is so?" I look over at Kurotsuchi and say for everyone to hear, "I give my respect to those who have earned it, Head Captain Yamamoto. Captain Kurotsuchi's actions and behavior are downright deplorable to me. Were this another place and time, he'd have been court martialed and stripped of his commanding position for wasting the lives of good soldiers and disregarding the safety of others to futher his own ends. He does not seem to place any value in the lives of individuals, which is something that warrants deep loathing in what I have come to believe and been taught to uphold. But he is a Captain among you, therefore I try to show restraint in my distaste. I apologize f this causes friction, but I am one who speaks my mind and will be damned accordingly for this trait."

Head Captain Yamamoto ponders this as Kenpachi laughs, "She's really quite a firecracker! She's already raked her claws into me, though I deserved it for goading her." Everyone looks shocked at this and all eyes train to Kenpachi and the still apparent cut on his face. Captain Hitsugaia actually sputters as he asks me, "You did that, Ryoka?!" I smile at this and say, "He insulted me with a very flippant comment. My temper outweighed my sanity for a moment, but that's all it took. I don't usually get offended so easily, he just chose very poor words." I look to Head Captain Yamamoto and ask him,"Head Captain Yamamoto, I have a few questions I would appreciate answers to. What have you found out regarding the missing soul reapers and the retrieval squads? I want to know as much as possible so I can determine how bad things have gotten." Head Captain Yamamoto nods and Lieutenant Chojiro Sasakibe tells me, "All of this began a week ago with the appearance of the Heartless and the increase in Hollow activity. It was decided at the time that twelve groups with six soul reapers per group be dispatched to investigate. The idea was to cover multiple areas of concern, in order to keep things under control and assess the situation. Only one of the twelve groups did not return, so two back up units were sent to search for the missing group and what had happened to them. So far, none have returned and the designated time of their return was an hour ago." I tell him, "I need as much detail on each soul reaper in the groupings, down to the last ability spec. It will help me determine if the Heartless might have had reason to convert any desirable traits into their ranks. For all we know, each soul reaper has had their hearts stolen and their power added to the ranks of the enemy." A few of them flinch at this, but Lieutenant Chojiro nods and tells me, "The original group was from squad three, two of which were skilled with kido. The two groups sent after them were from squads eleven and seven, most of which were skilled in physical combat. Add the group that went out from squad twelve and we have a total of eighteen missing soul reapers." I put my hand to my face, rubbing my eyes as I grimace at this. "Oh great, absolutely wonderful! Why not just throw in a blasted dragon or a couple dozen Gillian to make it really interesting! I may need to rethink my entire strategem for this if so many are missing! Curse it to the pits that this calamity spawned from!" Captain Unohana asks me, "What strategem were you considering?" I sigh as my eyes begin to pound, "I was hoping to have a few choice soul reapers come with me to see what kind of trouble we're dealing with. But I was only hoping to take at most five with me to investigate this. This shifts things around quite a bit. Give me a minute to think, puzzle solving of this magnitude is not my strong suit. Although if anyone has any ideas or suggestions, feel free to voice an opinion while I ponder this." I continue to rub my eyes in thought as Captain Komamura asks me, "What would be expected from an assault from these Heartless? Would there be survivors that we might yet rescue?" I flinch at this as I look to him. "Too much time has passed for that to be a possibility, though I really hate to say that. Anyone the Heartless defeats will succumb to the dark, their hearts lost to the void. Much of the time, the Heartless add to their ranks in this manner to form the Emblem types. Most Heartless act on instinct, their only goal to consume hearts to create more of their ilk. In this sense they are much like a parasite, their only driving need to devour and consume. However there are some that act as leaders to control the lesser, but the Heartless will generally obey those with an affinity for darkness and a strong will." I look to Captain Kurotsuchi at this as I add, "Anyone who tries this tactic runs the risk of being consumed themselves. So I do not recommend it for anyone who has the idea of controlling them, even out of scientific curiosity. That was what led to the creation of the Heartless in the first place, so I do not think reopening that particular can of worms is a good idea. Such a pursuit will only complicate things, I for one do not even recommend attempting to control the Heartless just to keep them from attacking."

Some of them get concerned looks on their faces with this news. Before Captain Kurotsuchi can ask a damning quesition like I see he's about to, I answer it. "Yes! I know from experience on that! Thank you for attempting to point that out, Captain Kurotsuchi! I was desperate to save my soulmates, so I gambled my own soul in order to keep them from harm! It worked for all of thirty seconds before I got hit from behind by the lead Emblem type originally controlling them. These swaths of evil are not meant to be poked and prodded for amusement, they were never meant to exist in the first place!" Captain Kuchiki actually opens his eyes to look at me at this. I feel the pierce of his gaze, so I turn towards him so he can see my eyes, but I keep my gaze fixed on his white scarf so I don't look him in the eyes directly. "So, you will admit to controlling these creatures at one point." I give a huff at this. "Yes. I will freely admit I was able to have some semblance of control over them. It was, as I said, a gamble I was willing to risk at that desperate time. My life means nothing without those whom I love. They are my Tovaras, my soulmates, my very life and heart is theirs to keep. I will willingly throw myself headlong into oblivion if it means keeping them safe. How do you think I got so mangled before I got here? I've lost enough to the darkness, I will let it take no more from me! Not when I have a prayer of a chance!" A few of them nod at my words, but a few also give me looks of distrust at my admission of controlling the Heartless. I look to Captain Ukitake, giving him my most serious stare as I say to all, "I was fighting for the lives of those who hold my heart and whom have given me theirs in turn! Such a battle must be won, and I didn't care how I protected them! All that mattered was their safety, it is all that matters in the end! We are nothing without the ones whom we love and respect, our power is meant to safeguard such treasures!" Captain Ukitake looks stunned at my words, as do a few others. I turn my full attention to Head Captain Yamamoto and say to him, "You may judge me and all I have done in my past as you wish. But unless I place the seal, you will have constant threats rising from the Heartless. The source must be contained, or they will continue to take ground and fell your people in making more of themselves. I don't want to see that happen anymore than anyone else in this room. I may not bear the the title of Master as a Key Bearer, but I am the only one with a Keyblade who can fight right now and has enough experience to make a difference." Captain Komamura looks to me at this to note, "I noticed that reference, Ryoka. Just what is the significance of being a Master?" I look to him and then an idea comes to me. "If it pleases those present, I can have an actual Master answer that for you." All of them look surprised at this, but Head Captain Yamamoto says, "Interesting. I take it you mean this Master Yen Sid in your notes?" I nod at this and the Head Captain says, "Very well. You may have this Master of yours be an advocate and speak for you on your behalf, it shall be allowed." I take out my mirror and place it on the floor in front of me, tracing a special spell as I weave my hands over the glass. I intone to the reflective surface of the mirror, "Master Yen Sid, I beg your forgiveness for this intrusion. I need your counsel in a matter most urgent, for my words shall hold no sway in this delicate discussion. I implore you to give your voice to this council, so that all might be settled with relative peace."

The mirror swirls with dancing lights over it's surface. But I am readily shocked when instead of summoning an image of Master Yen Sid, the man himself teleports into the room before me. I yelp and fall over as the others gives sounds of similar surprise. Ikkaku leans down to help me back up into a kneeling postion on the cushion as Master Yen Sid takes in the room and everyone in it. He then looks down at me with a frown, and I give him the same deep bow I gave to Head Captain Yamamoto. But this time I'm shaking slightly as I stammer, "Apologies, Master Yen Sid! I beg your forgiveness for the intrusion-" He silences me with a sweep of his hand, his robe fluttering slightly to make me stop mid sentence. I flinch and cower before him, sweat trickling down my face and into my eyes. His tone is just as stern as ever as he says to me, "Cease apprentice. I know much of what has already transpired. I have been keeping close tabs on you along with the other matters going on in the other worlds. You have much to account for, apprentice." My whole body jerks at this, but I stay bowed before Master Yen Sid. I hear Head Captain Yamamoto give a mild chuckle. "It would seem the Ryoka has the most avid respect for you, sir. In the whole time she has been here, no one has seen her so submissive in anothers presence." Master Yen Sid gives a nod to say to the room, "Yes, she is the most dominant personality I have had as a student. Not even my fondest apprentice King Mickey is as strong willed as Megan is. Though the King has since passed his Mark of Mastery exam." I freeze at this, my head staying down. "King Mickey has claimed his title?! I am so very glad to hear such wonderful news, Master Yen Sid!" Master Yen Sid touches my head at this to say to me, "You may rise, Megan. I'd rather not have you leaning down like that when you were so badly wounded." I get back up slowly, my back protesting the movement and I say, "Thank you, Master. I am grateful for your consideration." Master Yen Sid looks down at me before he summons a large book from his sleeve to float before Head Captain Yamamoto, bringing others out to float to each Captain and Lieutenant present. "My apprentice has been away from my keeping for a much longer time than I would have wanted, but the need was greater than even I had forseen. In these tomes you will find all the information you will need on all matters of the Heartless and what the Key Bearers are charged with. The binder Megan has carried will have many gaps, since we have had recent discoveries in other areas she was not aware of." I look to him in shock to ask, "Master? What is it that I have missed, does any of it pertain to the lost Key Bearers?" Master Yen Sid turns to me and nods, "Sora has awakened from his dream. Though Riku, Aqua, Ventas, and Terra are all still missing." I grit my teeth at the last bit. "Regretable, at least Sora is no longer counted as lost. As such, Riku will definitely come along soon afterwards. Even Kairi may find her strength of will needed to obtain her true power." Master Yen Sid raises an eyebrow at this to ask me, "What would make you think she has the mark of a Key Bearer, apprentice?" I avert my eyes from his to show submission. "Master Aqua inadvertantly made her a successor when she journeyed to Radiant Garden. I saw it with my Shingan, Master Yen Sid." He closes his eyes at this and nods. "Ah yes, your glorious Soul Vision you came to me with. Merlin mentioned your skills with magic may easily dwarf my own, though much of your energy behind it has bled away. I take it that your Shingan has something to do with your two compatriots and staying for so long on one world?" I flinch again as Ikkaku notes, "Is that a bad thing, Megan?" I sigh and nod. "I lingered for personal reasons, so yes it may be considered bad. Yet I will remind my Master he had always shown concern in that I have never tried befriending or getting close to others during my travels to other worlds. As I remember, it was said that such deteriorates ones light if one loses their reasons to wield it." I look back up to Master Yen Sid and hold his gaze as I give him a curt, "I never lost my reason to fight, Master. I just found a more vibrant reason to place over the first. One that awakened lost parts of me to bring them to the fore once again. I hoped you would be pleased at this, but I will accept punishment for my choices all the same. Just let it be after I've dealt with all these organized assassins that showed their hand have been fully dealt with. At least that way, I might perish and you won't have to deal with my screw ups anymore." Master Yen Sid frowns even more at this to say, "I would not wish such a thing on anyone and you well know this. Especially one who has lost so much in the pursuit of victory over the darkness as you have, Megan. You refer to the sniper and the other antagonists yet to fully reveal themselves. I know you do not speak of the Organization 13 that has appeared. The ones you fight have hearts full of dark intentions, so therefore cannot be with the Organization." I tilt my head slightly, absorbing what he has said. "Answer me this, Master. Do they have the knowledge and experience to thoroughly control the Hearless to you, or do they simply seem skilled in wielding darkness in general?" Master Yen Sid goes wide eyed at this to tell me, "The latter, actually. Why would you ask this, Megan?"

I bow my head down in shame, whispering a curse. "I knew that particular darkness would continue to pursue me. Even after so long, such evil will always hunt their destroyers. May I be condemned for a fool for ever believing otherwise. I speak of when my own dark intentions controlled me, during the Sovereign War ten years ago." Master Yen Sid pales slightly at this, obvious concern on his face. "The war you would only speak with Merlin and myself about. He told me much of what you spoke of together, about your resolution at never treading such a path ever again. But I know you did relent to using such darkness, very recently I might add." I bow down low to the ground yet again. "I broke my word in order to protect what matters most to me. The methods were deplorable, but I will not apologize for the results. You are well aware the lengths to which I will go in this calling, saying that my tempered resolve was a double edged sword. I should have used my light to fill the absence such darkness brings, not quell it with the same void. I see that now, it is said that hindsight is perfect. My fear overtook my reasoning, and I have brought shame to myself as a result. I will accept full responsibility for my mistakes, Master. I expect that after you leave here, you will officially renounce my apprenticeship as you are entitled." I feel Ikkaku's hand on my arm tighten, and a few others give mild noises of surprise. But Master Yen Sid gives no indication of what his intentions are, since I can't read him with my head bowed all the way down. But to my own surprise, he bends down to lift me back up so we are face to face. I keep my eyes lowered, but Master Yen Sid lifts my chin to meet my eyes. There is warmth in his eyes as he gives me a very rare smile, making me go wide eyed in confusion. He tells me, "After all the progress you have made, I would not dare renounce you for a stumble or two along your path. You have been an excellent apprentice as well as a vehement defender against those that would cause calamity and turmoil. Merlin himself has been adamant that you be recognized by me as a masterful sorceress in your own rights. I would much rather have you take your Mark of Mastery exam than sponge away all that you have achieved. I feel that you are ready to take this rite of passage, you have so much potential still to be realized. I would be most saddened if you never reached the heights you were meant for." My hands go over my mouth in shock, barely able to believe what I've just heard. For a moment, my formality melts away as I whisper, "Truly? Abishal said such a thing to you? I hold such value for you to say this?" Master Yen Sid nods at this and I choke on my emotions, tears spilling freely as I say, "To be so honored by Merlin as well as you is almost to much to accept! I don't know what to say!" Master Yen Sid actually laughs at this. "Considering you always have an opinion to warrant voicing, I would say I have done an impossibility!" My smile plays over my face at this, "Thank you so much, even if the idea is laughable to me. But I think taking the exam will have to wait until we deal with these unknown antagonists. Is that an acceptable course to you?" Master Yed Sid nods in agreement, helping me to my feet as the others close the tomes they were reading. Head Captain Yamamoto has his own tome brought to me to read, but I simply weave a spell over the tome to make it into a crystal. I close my fist tight around the crystal, my aura alighting the air with the scent of lavender as dancing lights play around my fingers. The information plays over my senses, bringing to focus what is both relevent and mysterious to my attentions. My eyes dart back and forth under my closed eyelids, absorbing all the tome has to tell me in detail as Master Yen Sid tells everyone, "Sometimes my apprentices amaze me, even I am not able to do such a feat as this. Though her knowledge comes from two decades of explorations across vast amounts of stars. I do not believe she will ever find her limits." I continue to read over the information as I say, "Thank you for that, but this isn't easy to do. Let me concentrate, Master." I go over the information again twice, the drain on my strength apparent as I start shaking and my nose begins to bleed at the stress. But I keep pouring over the information until I have it mostly committed to memory. I open my eyes to look around the room and exclaim, "Right! I have a better handle on this now! These are ones I shall need to aid me, so let's dispense the formalities for speed! Renji, Izuru, Isane, Rangiku, Shuhei, Ikkaku, Yumichika, Kenpachi, Jushiro, Shunsui, Toshiro, Hanataro Yamada and nine other skilled medics of Retsu's choosing! I want five teams of the stealth force and Suì-Fēng ahead of us to keep us all apprized of the situation and to gather intel as needed! Byakuya, I want a message and one of the tomes sent to Kisuke Urahara immediately for a contingency! If I'm lucky, maybe Ichigo Kurosaki may lend a hand! But we should think of this as a full fledged war brewing! We all leave in fifteen minutes! Any one of the requested members may add skilled and competent soldiers to the side for good measure, since I'm basing this solely on who I've seen fight and what strengths I see are needed!" I look to Head Captain Yamamoto and I say to him, "I will give all that I have in keeping the Soul Society safe! You have my solemn vow on this!" I then turn to Master Yen Sid and give him a slight bow. "Master, I hope I might have the chance later to discuss something personal with you later. But in case I am not victorious and should fall, thank you so much for all you have done for me." I then turn around and grab my bag as I lace my arm in Ikkaku's to say, "Let's move! We have a job to do!" I hear Head Captain Yamamoto say to Master Yen Sid, "Truly, your apprentice is a unique and vibrant young woman." I catch what Master Yen Sid says before the door completely closes. "If only her past trials had not so tainted her in grief. Such sorrows I would not wish on any individual, a full decade of time spent in a purgatory of utter darkness. Because of this, she has dedicated her life to ensuring such sorrows and shadows are quelled by her own hands."

Since everyone else is able to use Shunpo, I bring out my Hover Disk to kneel on. Hanataro is behind me with his hands around my waist, my bag over his shoulder as I keep pace with Ikkaku and Renji. Izuru and Shuhei are behind me, with Ukitake and Kyoraku not far off as we head to where the squads were last seen. I have Hanataro get out one of my Stamina Drafts, and I shake it to then undo the cork with a loud pop. I drink half of it to then hand it to Hanataro. "Here, you'll need this." He takes a swig and coughs, purple smoke coming out of his mouth as he chokes out, "Yeck! That's disgusting!" I snicker at this to note, "Tastes like bad jelly doesn't it?" He nods, but then chugs the rest of it. "Bleck, I don't even want to know what's in this." I laugh to tell him, "Neither did I. But I had to get the recipe so I didn't blow all my money buying it from the shop that sells it. I'm not prone to carrying so much money on me, and that stuff can be pricey." I get out my Armor Seal and fix it to my front, hitching up the yukata and tucking it into the obi to free up my legs. Hanataro notes this, but I tell him, "I'd rather not trip over the material and rip it. I do plan on returning this to Yumichika. But I'm most likely going to be standing back firing off spells, or what you'd call kido, if not using some summoning spells for this." Hanataro frowns to ask me, "What are summoning spells?" I pull out the binder and have him open the section about the summonings and aeons as I tell him, "Think of it as having a creature fight for you instead of wielding a zanpakuto yourself. It can either be a one time attack over a wide area, or I have a few that can actually stand and fight in my place. It's very taxing to do, but it packs a huge punch." I am then interupted by Suì-Fēng landing on my Hover Disk in front of me. I look up at her as she says to me, "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you right now, Ryoka?" I smirk at this threat to answer, "Because none of you would be able to seal this door that the enemy is coming through? You can always kill me after the fact, but you can't revive me after you do so to get my help." She smiles at this. "Good point. But should you prove untrustworthy, know that I will take you down." I snicker to state, "I'm thinking you'll have to get in line for that. But by all means, I'd enjoy the challenge, Captain Suì-Fēng. You here to give us an update?" She nods. "It would seem there is some kind of black fog spreading over the area where the squads dissapeared. It could be the zanpakuto of one of the members of squad three, or it could be some trick of these Heartless creatures." I frown at this to add on, "Or they opened a Corridor to Darkness and left it open for us to follow along like lambs to the slaughter." Suì-Fēng frowns at this to say, "That sounds ideal for the enemy to do." I sigh at the notion. "Very true. Those corridors are very perilous to travel through. Unless you wear special protection against the darkness that floods those paths. If it is a Corridor to Darkness, have everyone bring out their Reiatsu to use as a shield over their frames. And please ask Kenpachi not to bowl anyone over when he does so, I'd rather not fall flat on my rump before the fight starts." She smiles and then dissapears, Hanataro asking me, "Does that mean me too?" I shake my head. "Nah, I can put a shield over us if we really need it. Or you while I wear my armor, since I may need to jump headfirst into the fray instead of going about the sides doing long ranged like I planned."

We arrive in a thick area of forest, the fog of mist slightly tinted black in front of us as I come to a halt. I stay on the Hover Disk to pass my hand through the fog, it's blackness condensing over my fingers when I do so. I can feel the tugging of this malevolence, and I bring out my Keyblade. The darkness disperses where I hold it forward, so I fling my Paceweaver around me on the Hover Disk, entering the fog carefully to note that the fog does not touch the Keyblade. "Huh, well it would seem this isn't a zanpakuto after all..." I look behind us and note the regular fog is now a full wall of impenetrable gloom. I give a huff to say, "We aren't getting back are we?" Hanataro looks back and grips my waist tight as he asks, "What?! So we're stuck in here?! Wherever here is?!" I retreat back away from the fog to bring out my bow and quiver as I tell him, "Don't panic Hanataro. I can always make a door for us to get right back to the Seireitei or to Karakura Town. Heck, I may just take you all to the Sacred Grove in Hyrule to have us in a completely safe area for strategizing." I call out to the others, "I don't suggest retreating back the way we came! Everyone sit tight for a minute, feel free to try sending one group of the stealth force back to plot an escape plan! But I be guessing that is a not workable idea!" I take my stance on the Hover Disk, nocking a Light Arrow and shooting it through the fog. The fog disperses to not reclose over where the light went through, and I tilt my head as Hanataro notes, "It would seem to repel light, you have any idea how to get us through this?" I wrack my brain as Shuhei walks up. "Hmmm... I'm thinking... I'm thinking... Hmmm... Question is whether this is just the opening to a corridor or is it some type of ability to hinder us on this particular battlefield. If it's the former, we're headed someplace they want us cornered. If it's the latter, this in itself is the battlefield they want us dancing around and will have nasty surprises waiting. Do we want to have this dispersed around us, that might paint targets on our backs just by dispelling the fog... Great, I'm getting a headache again!" I pinch the bridge of my nose as my head starts pounding, Shuhei crossing his arms to note, "I take it you aren't very good with setting up battle strategies." I glare at him to retort back, "I'm not a professional expert, no. But this migraine lacing through my skull isn't helping my thought processes. Go and get Kyoraku, he's the best bet for bouncing ideas off of. Please and thank you." Shuhei grumbles at me to then dissapear, Hanataro touching the back of my head as I wince. "Hanataro, you touching my head isn't going to help." But his spiritual power washes into my hair, then into my aching head as the pounding in my skull fades away. It spreads to the front where my eyes are throbbing, and my sigh is one of great relief. "Oh! That is so much better. Thank you so much, Hanataro." He nods at this to note, "Glad to help, that had to hurt." I nod. "I get chronic migraines every so often, so I'm grateful for the relief." Kyoraku steps up next to me, followed by Ukitake and Shuhei as I explain to them what the fog may mean and what I did to disperse it.

I nock another Light Arrow and shoot, Kyoraku tilting his hat to say, "I'm guessing you have a limited number of those?" I nod. "I can use however many arrows I have to do that along with my reiryoku, which may mean I can make a small passageway if we line the shots up properly. But my brain is fried, I'm a doer and not a thinker. I could make charms for each of us to hold so we can go in there without the fog enveloping us, but that might draw attention in itself. I don't like the idea of just walking headlong in. Such continuous contact with darkness can corrode or in a sense poison as easily as Konjiki Ashisogi Jizō." All four of them go wide eyed at this bit, and I smirk to say, "Yeah, I have a lot of tidbits of info about a lot of the Captains and Lieutenants. As well as a few rumors. Is it true about Retsu and Jushiro being in a relationship that was more than just platonic a few decades back?" Ukitake goes flush at the question, with Kyoraku laughing at my abruptness. "Why do you ask, taken an interest in our good Captian Ukitake?" I get an evident grin. "I can't lie and say I haven't taken an interest at the idea, along with a few others in our group if not yourself, Shunsui. But I'm sure Vash and Wolfwood would kill me for that, they are both vehemently protective of their claim over me, which means more to me than I'll ever tell them. Besides, I find getting distracted with off topic discussion helps my brain wrap itself around a problem. Perhaps a few volunteers from the stealth force can go in, some with lighted wards and some without. I do enforce the word volunteers on that. Geez, this is making my head spin." I flounce back onto the Hover Disk to lay flat with Hanataro sitting on the edge opposite to help balance the disk, my hand in my hair as I grumble out incoherent words. I instinctually whip out my music player and turn it on, Always by Saliva playing around me as I keep thinking. Ukitake leans down as I wave one foot to the music, noting my enjoyment to ask me, "Better?" I nod. "Considerably, music helps drown out all the other distracting background noises. Heck, maybe we should have Kenpachi whip a few concentrated blasts of spirit energy at the fog with my charging some light into his zanpakuto for a boost. It would be the quickest way to disperse the fog if anything, and he has plenty of energy to burn off, unlike me." Shuhei gives a exaspirated growl. "Why don't I just go it with my reiatsu up?" I look at him. "Because I'd rather not risk anybody unless they volunteer, even you. Just because you don't like me doesn't mean I feel the same way." Shuhei blushes slightly as I tell him, "But here, take this if you are doing such." I toss him a lighted warding crystal, it's glow shining through his fingers as I tell him, "You can press it into your skin if you want, or hide it under your badge to test the Reiatsu theory. But I'd rather you have that one in case the former doesn't work." Shuhei nods, then his reiatsu envelopes his frame. He walks with purpose through the fog close to where I made a path. Then he heads fully into the fog, and I tense when I lose sight of him. "He'd better come back in one piece, or I'm going to have a coniption fit and fall into it."

Suì-Fēng reappears next to me, and I hand her a bunch of light wards to give to the stealth force. She gives me a glared look as I hand the rest to Hanataro and the others around me, but then Shuhei comes back and I let out the breath I was holding in relief. "You have no idea how I releived I am to see you in one piece. You able to see in there?" Shuhei shakes his head, but then he brings out the crystal. "I wasn't able to see anything until I brought this out. It seems to work very well when you focus reiryoku to expand the range." I nod and Kyoraku notes, "Maybe we should have Captain Kenpachi clear the air for us like you suggested." I give a huff to say, "Let's put that on the back burner. I'll just make crystals for everybody, if anything I should have Kenpachi funnel some of his energy through my arrows. Unlike his attacks, mine don't damage my allies when they hit." I take out a Light Arrow and poke Shunsui with it, making him wince slightly before chuckling. "That actually tickled. Is it supposed to do that?" I smile at him, then I tell them, "It's pretty much made of conscentrated light, the only things it harms are those of darkness and shadow. The rest is made of my emotions and reiryoku, which means it has an automatic tendency to give a boost to allies in range of my reiryoku." Suì-Fēng nods at this. "I'll give these crystals out to everyone else, then." She dissapears again as I take aim and shoot through the fog again to clear more of it away, but I hear a shout when it hits someone in the fog cover. Lights dance over the frame of the one I hit, and I clap a hand over my mouth to exclaim, "CRED! Who the Hell is dumb enough to be moving around in this already?!" I then see it's Renji, whose completely fine as he stomps over and glares at me. "Just what in the Hell did you shoot me for?! Dammit, Megan! That wasn't funny!" I glare at him in turn to growl out, "Why were you in the fog cover to begin with?! And be glad it was a Light Arrow and not a Bomb Arrow, Renji! If it had been I'd have blown you to pieces!" He growls back at me to tell me, "I was trying to see if we could clear this fog away, but if you're just going to shoot your allies-" I whack him over the head with my hand. "Tispycc! If you're stupid enough to wander around in fog without using more of your reiatsu to shield yourself and note your position to the rest of us, I'm not going to apologize for your inherent suicidal tendencies!" He grumbles at this as Shuhei smirks at him, then we note Renji is still glowing. I tug at his sleeve, and miniscule lights dance up off the material. "Huh, it coated you in light. Did it hurt?" He shakes his head, "No, but it startled me. I'm not used to getting shot in the heart like that." I give him an evil grin to snicker and say, "Oh really. I'd hope not since getting shot in the heart is not fun, whether it be regular arrows or other projectiles. Yes, speaking from experience on that. Be glad I'm not the fabled Cupid, his arrows have love spells on them." Renji snorts at this idea, but then he rubs at his chest. "I didn't realize you have such good aim." I cackle at him, my humor evident as I twang the bowstring. "Thanks, but that was a complete accident. I wasn't aiming for you Renji. Honest." He nods, then I get an idea. "Come over here a minute. I'm gonna try shooting another arrow, but I want you to funnel some of your energy into it to boost the range." Ukitake walks along with us, Kyoraku behind him as I shout out, "Anyone dumb enough to be in the fog already besides the stealth force better hightail it! I'm shooting an arrow of light to try parting this mess out of the way! It won't hurt anybody, but be warned! Before someone decides to get in my range of fire like somebody else did and gets doused in glittering light!"

I wait a minute as Kenpachi and the others walk up to circle behind me, then I tell Renji, "Ready when you are." Renji steps onto the Hover Disk as Hanataro hops off, then his reiatsu evelopes the both of us. My eyes start to glow with his energy as I fuel it into me and my arrow in turn, it's power laced with Renji's base scent of his reryoku. I twist my frame to pull back, the bow going taut as the arrow gets blindingly bright. Then I release and the arrow cuts through much of the fog, then I hear it strike something. A cracking noise sounds over the area, then I hear whatever it is shatter. What fog was around the area bursts into searing black flames, and I immediately channel a barrier spell over the warding crystals given out to the members of the stealth force. A few screams take to the air as I shout out, "Retreat! DAMN IT! RETREAT OUT OF THE BLAZE! Renji, more power! HURRY!" Renji's reiatsu explodes around us, slightly crisping my frame as I cast a teleportation spell over the crystals. In the next heartbeat, the spell brings every member of the stealth force out of the blaze to then wash the light of the warding crystals over each one, smothering the few burns and singed marks on them as Suì-Fēng shouts out, "Damage report!" One of them pulls down his mask as the light of the warding crystal washes over his arm, the burn dissapearing as he says, "Ah, fine my Captain. For a second I didn't think I'd make it, but then this wall of light protected me." I give a huff as I sag in Renji's arms a bit, my energy waning as I say, "That was close, is everyone from the stealth force accounted for?" Suì-Fēng looks around to say, "Yes. All of them are here and none look to be injured." I raise a fist to the air to say, "Booyah, major crisping averted, at least for the rest of you. OW! Dang Renji, I think I'm still smoking from that." Renji looks down to note that I am. He looks rather guilty as I flinch slightly, his hands coming around my waist to keep me upright as he tells me, "Oh shoot, I'm sorry! But you weren't the only one who panicked! I didn't mean to hurt you!" I wave a dismissive hand. "Semantics, it got the stealth force out of the fire. I don't mind getting singed if everyone else is okay." I look out to where the black flames smolder and blaze. "Vilg ed! Screw the dancing around! Kenpachi! Get over here so we can one shot the whole flipping area!" Kenpachi smiles at this, and I have him stand right in front of me. Renji gets off the Hover Disk as Hanataro gets back on, opening a High Potion to douse it over me before hopping back off. I shake my head as the High Potion soaks me, then I put my hands on Kenpachi's shoulders. His zanpakuto starts to glow, then I tell him, "Go for it!" He charges his power into the blade, then he swings with a fluid motion to send it outwards. The entire battleground gets enveloped in light, my eyes squeezing shut as I shield my eyes with my hands. Multiple cracks can be heard over the roar of Kenpachi's swing, the flames of shadow blowing away to nothingness as the ground shakes slightly. Sinkholes and other nasty traps are sprung all at once, even a few explosions go off as we all stand there.

Then I note a sigil spread over our feet, and before I can shout out a warning, the entire area gets washed in an explosion of condensed darkness. I give a shout as I fall forwards and down off the Hover Disk, striking a few things as I plummet down through the inky black. I try to get right side up, then a pair of arms encircle my waist to bring me close and shield me. I bring the Hover Disk to catch our weight, whoever it is landing on top of me to drive the air from my lungs. I give a few coughs as the Hover Disk slowly descends, then the one who landed on top of me brings out their warding crystal. I see it's Yumichika as he kneels over me, concern in his eyes as he asks me, "You okay?" I flop back onto the disk to choke out, "No, you elbowed me in the gut." He flinches at this bit of news as I keep coughing. "Sorry." I give a huffed, "If you had meant to do that, I'd smack you in retaliation." I wince as I roll onto my side, Yumichika looking around to tell me, "I'm guessing we got snatched by a trap." I give a huffed out, "Worse, large scale transporter. We could be on a whole other world for all I know, or in a maze close to the Seireitei." I groan as Yumichika looks down at me to grumble out, "Lovely. Anything else I need to know?" I point as his zanpakuto. "Yes, since we're on the subject. I expect you to pull your full weight for this escapade, Yumichika. If you dare pull your punches with what I know is a kido type zanpakuto, I'll rip your face off with my bare hands." Yumichika goes bug eyed as I snicker at his expression, then he bellows out, "HOW DO YOU EVEN KNOW ABOUT THAT?!" I grin at him to say, "Calm down, Yumichika. I saw bits of your fight with Shuhei, that's how I know." He starts sputtering as I close my eyes and let him openly fume for a bit, then I tell him, "You gonna remember to breathe during this hissy fit?" He starts panting to get much needed air, his entire frame heaving as he glares at me. "You dare tell anyone, and I mean ANYONE, about my zanpakuto and I'll kill you! You hear me, Megan?!" I nod at this declaration to tell him, "Sure, but you may want to strip your yukata off me before you do that. I'd hate to see it ruined by you running me through." Yumichika scoffs at me, then nods. "True enough, it is a gorgeous pattern. Though it looks much better on you than myself." I go wide eyed to exclaim, "Seriously, did you just pay me a compliment in the way I look?! Rumo vilgehk cred!" Yumichika frowns at me. "What?" I laugh to say to him, "Sorry, I tend to revert to a different language when I curse vehemently. That way I get the words out and no one else gets offended." Yumichika smirks at me. "Clever. But the question is where we are and where we're descending to." I give a sigh to state, "Give me a sec to catch my breath that you knocked out of me and we'll find out."

We finally touch down and Yumichika gets off my Hover Disk, but I stay laying down as the disk hangs in the air. I give a vehement cough before I roll off the disk, folding it back into a smaller compact disk to fit into my obi as Yumichika looks around. He bends down and picks something up, then holds it out to me. "I was wondering what this noise was." I pluck my music player from his hand, the song Pain Redefined by Disturbed still sounding out of the slightly cracked frame. I give a snarl to fume, "Oh great! This is my best player! VILG! VILG, VILG, VILG! I could kill something right about now!" Then we both hear a very distinct growling noise to my left. The both of us turn as the noise gets louder, my dread increasing dramatically as my Shingan laces through my eyes to show what's coming for us. "Oh... shit..." The area around us transforms, taking on the look of a grand ballroom with a chandelier and pillars about the room. I bring out my Keyblade, since my bow and arrows will be useless and my sword and shield along with my staff are still in my bag with Hanataro. I tell Yumichika, "Listen up. This Heartless is a Shadow Stalker. As such it will possess the room itself, using the windows, pillars, chandelier, and floor to attack us. It'll shift to a Dark Thorn once we hurt it enough, which is more agile and erratic, attacking enemies with its claws and sometimes using the chandelier to hit opponents. It will summon other lesser Heartless called Possessors that will fuse with the ballroom like the Shadow Stalker. It's very agile and will go invisible to hinder us, so for the love of my sanity be extra careful. Our priority is survival, Yumichika. You let this thing end you, I'll have to fight you along with it. So please don't get yourself killed for your pride." Yumichika nods, and I activate my armor as the Shadow Stalker barrels in from the balcony window. Yumichika gives a disgusted sigh as I tell him, "Good luck, and don't get killed." He smirks as we move, him flanking left as I flank right. I jump up into the air and use Aerial Sweep on the Shadow Stalker, bashing it relentlessly as Yumichika slashes from below. The roar it emits shakes me as it disperses, going into the floor as I yell, "Avoid the glowing sigils!" Yumichika starts flash stepping as I roll and backflip away from the glowing underneath my feet, desperately trying not to get eaten as I huff and pant and weave about the ballroom. Soon enough, the Shadow Stalker emerges from the floor, and Yumichika attacks, slashing the creature as I cast and Aero spell to shield his frame. The spell snaps over Yumichika a second before the Shadow Stalker rams him into a pillar, cushioning the blow as I charge and assault the Shadow Stalker. Yumichika lands on his feet as I pummel at the enemy, then it disperses into the pillar behind me. The pillar shivers before it starts to flail and thrash about to attack me, and I get smacked as I try to back away. Stars dance in my eyes as Yumichika attacks, then I'm up again. I throw my Keyblade in my Strike Raid, my Keyblade returning instantly for me to throw my weapon multiple times in quick succession. The piller shivers and stops for the Shadow Stalker to emerge, it's thrashing about the ballroom making it hard for me to dodge and counter. Then it merges into the chandelier, and the whole thing comes crashing down to send a shockwave over the ballroom floor. I go down and the chandelier starts turning to shoot beams of dark energy, and I shield as best I can from my kneeled position on the floor.

I get hit a few times and yelp, Yumichika coming in front of me with flash step to block. I'm up and moving in the next second, jumping to the pillar to then launch myself over the chandelier. I flip in the air to then impale the chandelier with my Keyblade, the roar evident as health globes pop all over the ballroom. I tell Yumichika, "Catch those, they heal you a bit." I flip to roll over as many globes that I can reach, then the Shadow Stalker emerges from the chandelier to return to another pillar. Yumichika growls out, "How long is it going to keep hiding?" I give a huffed, "Until we hurt it enough to make in change." We repeat the dance a few times, my making sure Yumichika has an Aero spell over him at all times as I dance about the ballroom. Then the enemy gives an even louder roar as its chains are released, then it transforms into the monstrous Dark Thorn. I give a panted growl. "Halfway done! Keep it up-" But then it summons a dozen or so Possessors to join the fray and I curse. I dodge and roll away with Yumichika coming to stand next to me, when one of the Possessors on the far side of the room is cleaved in half. I see it disperse as Shuhei charges his way towards another one, and I give a half panted, "Better late than never." Yumichika snorts at this to state, "Like we needed the help." Then the Dark Thorn picks up the chain on the chandelier to swing it about at us, and I shove Yumichika out of the way. I get smacked and go sailing into a pillar to then be pummeled by a Possessor that melds into it, the pillar crushing me onto the floor as I give a shout. I roll away before it can do so twice, snarling as red runs into my eyes under my armor. I rip the helmet off, it's clattering to the floor making all the Possessors and the Dark Thorn turn towards me as I exclaim, "That's right! Over here you fiithy pieces of gutter trash!" The Dark Thorn bellows as it charges, and I ramp my aura all the way up to have it explode over my frame. Lavender takes to the air around the entire ballroom and I point my Keyblade to intone, "Sacred light, obliterate the impure, HOLYJA!" Blinding lights explode all over the ballroom, the roars of the enemy being drowned out by the lights detonating in brilliant splendor all around. I go down on one knee as the Dark Thorn trembles and bellows in pain, then I scramble forward and charge, my own roar sounding over the ballroom as I use my Sonic Blade ability to thrust into the Dark Thorn repeatedly. Then I let loose with Ars Arcanum, pummeling the Dark Thorn over and over with a flurry of blows as I somersault and spin to bring my Paceweaver up and around for each strike. But it gets a clawed hand in to slug me off of it's frame, the talons ripping my head open in a few places as I go backwards. The blow has me careening away to bounce me over the floor, and I stop only when I run backfirst into a pillar. Red slowly leaks around my head and in my hair, Shuhei flash stepping in front of me to deflect another clawed hand as I lay there.

Shuhei gets pushed back a bit as he exclaims, "Why isn't this thing dead yet?!" Then the Dark Thorn dissapears, making Shuhei look about for it as I note the change in the air. I point to him and cast my last spell, the Aero barrier coming up as it deflects a blow from the invisible enemy. Shuhei looks down at me as I struggle to stand, then I'm up and running full tilt to the chandelier as I shout, "Yumichika! Use the damn kido to drain this thing! I won't have anything left after this!" I grab the chain of the chandelier and whip it around, hitting the Dark Thorn full force as I fling the chandelier and it into a pillar before my knees hit the floor. My armor comes off as I kneel there a moment before falling over completely, my eyes rolling back slightly as I consider blacking out at the agony I get every time I inhale. Yumichika flash steps in front of me, his frown apparent before he relents. "I guess I have no choice. Tear in frenzy, Ruri'iro Kujaku." He runs his hand along the blades, making them flare up and transform into a number of glowing peacock feather-like vines. The Dark Thorn is ensnared and subdued by the tendrils of kido, the vines growing energy buds as the Heartless roars. Soon the flowers along the vines bloom in full, glowing with reiatsu as the Dark Thorn is destroyed. A few of the flowers fall to the floor, Yumichika running to pick some up and bring them to me as he tells Shuhei, "Get over here and prop her up, I don't want her drowning in red facing down like that." Shuhei scoffs but does so anyways, turning me over to have both of them note my eyes are slightly open. Shuhei shakes me to ask, "Hey, Ryoka. You alive?" I blink, but then my eyes close as I go limp. "Ow... Not really..." Yumichika holds out one of the blooms to place one of the petals between my lips. "Bite down on this." I nip the petal with my teeth, healing reiatsu flooding down my mouth and into my frame as Shuhei notes, "I hope there's enough reiatsu in those to make a difference. Hand me one too, getting here wasn't easy." Yumichika oblidges and then bites down on one himself, the both of them noting how my eyes stay closed as the flower wilts in my mouth once it's given all the reiatsu it held. They give me the last one as Yumichika says, "I am quite impressed, she knew exactly what to do and where to counter. I don't remember that Heartless being in the notes at all, yet she knew what it was going to do and how to maneuver around it." Shuhei raises an eyebrow at this bit of information. "Really, how do you figure she knew?" I answer with my eyes still closed and the wilted bloom falling from my mouth. "It's called Shingan." They both look down at me as I take a ragged breath to continue, "It translates to Soul Vision, but it's a bit unreliable in I can't really control when it comes on or what I see. But I'm able to glean different things when it does crop up. Like how you two fought and Yumichika beat you during the Ryoka Invasion, Shuhei. I'll also say I liked your hair style before you joined the Gotei 13 Yumichika, it framed your face better in my opinion." Yumichika smiles at me. "We're supposed to believe that? What was the color of my kimono I wore back then?" I take another ragged breath to answer, "Some kind of light purple with a pink swirl design on the left shoulder and a green pattern on the right shoulder." Yumichika goes wide eyed to say, "You really aren't bluffing then. Color me impressed."

I give a laugh that ends in a coughing fit, Shuhei noting how I can't seem to breathe. "You're still hurt, aren't you?" I nod. "I think I recracked a few ribs when I got hit from pushing Yumichika out of the way of the chandelier." Both of them flinch as Yumichika notes, "And then you were dancing all over after the fact. Well, you're not one to do things half way." I chuckle at the compliment, then my eyes squeeze shut even more for me to wince as my head laces agony through me. "I'm thinking my hair has a partial dye job now... Crap! Your yukata!" Yumichika gives a sigh to tell me, "Yeah, it's drenched-" I start fuming in Al Bhed at this, making Shuhei look at me like I'm crazy as I start coughing without letting up. Yumichika tells him, "Apparently she curses in a language no one knows so we don't get offended." Shuhei chuckles at me as I keep coughing. "Considerate. But I'm thinking breathing would be a much better idea." Yumichika props me up slightly as three soul reapers flash step in from the open terrace, Hatataro running forwards with my bag while Renji and Ikkaku walk up. Hanataro lands on his knees next to me to shout out, "Megan! Are you okay?!" I give a loud cough as he places his hands on my front, his wince noted by everyone. "...Never mind. It's clear you're not. Hang on a minute." Renji looks back out the open terrace window to note, "I'm guessing you guys had to tackle a very nasty Heartless creature?" Shuhei nods. "Yeah. You?" Ikkaku grins, "That was awesome! We got an advanced Dark Follower along with a dozen or more lesser Heartless! What did you get?" Yumichika gives the run down as Hanataro heals me, Ikkaku smirking as he listens with evident excitement. Renji just kneels down next to me, frowning as he asks Hanataro, "Should she look that pale?" Hanataro nods to tell him, "Her ribs that broke all cracked again. Get one of those Mega-Potions out, please." Renji grabs one and shakes it vehemently, popping the cork to have me drink. I do so very carefully as the healing blooms through my chest, getting my wind back after a few moments. "So many different shades of ow. Thanks." Hanataro has me lay down fully, my hair sticking to my face as I go limp on the floor. Then we hear an audible roar out the window of the open terrace, the others looking up to note what made the noise. Hanataro's hands on my chest grip tight to the material of the yukata as he exclaims, "Just what is that?!" I blink a few times to say, "I can't see at the moment so-" Then it roars again, and my eyes go as wide as allowed. "OH SHIT!" My entire frame trembles as I scream, "DON'T ANYONE GO OUT THERE! NOT A SINGLE ONE OF YOU!" Hanataro looks down at me as I tremble all over, my heart pounding hard under his hands as he asks, "What is it Megan?! What's got you so scared?!" I grip his hands to my front as I say to Renji, "Get me to the balcony, I have to be sure! Please dear God let me be wrong!" Renji laces his hands under me to lift me up, Hanataro healing me still as they bring me to the balcony. My entire frame goes limp in shock, the entire scene before us of a long ago world I only visited briefly before moving onwards. My entire body trembles as I say, "Oh no... This is... This is... This is the Mountain of Mortal Dragon! This is the world of Endiness! That means-" The roar becomes tenfold as a giant monsterous form appears on the mountain in front of us, and everyone goes bug eyed at the sight. My head hangs all the way back as I curse out, "VILG! Where the Hell is Kenpachi when you really need him?!"

Up on the mountain in full view is the King of all Dragons, it's monstrous frame terrifying to behold as I tell them, "We just hit a motherload of a wall. That is the Divine Dragon of Endiness. If we go up against that, we can kiss our combined assets goodbye." The Divine Dragon is quite a spectacle to behold, a colossal, quadrupedal, winged reptile with an elongated neck. The dragon has a total of 8 wings, with one of them severed half way and a long tail. Ironically, the King of Dragons still has "souvenirs" from the Dragon Campaign from ten millennia ago, in the form of several chained manacles around some of it's limbs. The facial features are the most bizarre, an array of seven eyes, six of which are located at the front of the upper jaw while the seventh and biggest eye is located on the chin. Mounted on the back is the Divine Dragon Cannon, while in the chest contains the Divine Dragon Ball it uses to decimate whole cities with one fly by. Hanataro grips my front tight as he shakes all over, the others just as wide eyed as he stutters, "But- but- but that isn't- that can't be- is that-" I hold my hand out and place it on his shoulder. "It isn't a Heartless, Hanataro. It is a natural creature to the world we see before us. Can any of you find Kenpachi's spirit ribbon? I'm not taking that one on unless we have a large powerhouse of-" But Ikkaku tells me, "We can take it." I choke and whirl my head to face him to shout out, "NOT ON MY BEST DAY, YOU BRAINLESS IDIOT! That thing is on my top five most powerful opponents for a reason, Ikkaku! There's no way that-" But Ikkaku cuts me off, "We can take it, Megan! Captain Kenpachi isn't needed for-" Then we hear a loud boom as the dragon roars with emphasis, the explosion of reaiatsu cluing us in as Ikkaku starts fuming, "Are you kidding me?! He's already there?! SHIT! I wanted to take it on without his help!" I note whose there at the mountain, and I give a grateful sigh, "Okay... now we may have a chance at not all dying. If Kenpachi whales on it a bit, he'll wear it out considerably. Who else is with him, is my nagging question?" Yumichika frowns to tell me, "Lieutenant Isane, Lieutenant Izuru, Lieutenant Matsumoto, Captain Ukitake, and Captain Kyoraku." I smile at this news to say, "Good, they'll live long enough for us to get there. Let's hop to it guys." I bring out the Hover Disk for Renji to stand on while Hanataro keeps healing me, his arms tight around me as we all head out towards this very dangerous fight. By the time we get there, Hanataro is about to fall over after fusing my ribs back together. I grab his arm and keep him upright as I bring out a Mega-Ether for him to drink. "Thanks for this Hanataro. Here, this will replenish what you've spent to heal me." He drinks it down fast and makes a face at the taste. "Yick! Where do you get this stuff?!" I smile at him to tell him, "Ivalice, Hyrule, and Spira are the worlds I get all my healing items from. Sorry, but I don't have any that actually taste like juice or something tolerable anymore." Hanataro sighs as he places the bottle back into my bag. "It's fine. I'm just glad you have them for us to use." I nod at this statement in full agreement, tucking a bunch of the Pheonix Downs into the obi along with a few of the Mega-Elixers. "Right. I'm gonna have to insist you and Isane stay back out of the way. I have healing spells that don't require touch to use. If we need it, chuck a few of the healing items at one of the team to heal them. It's just as effective." I hear a loud boom as the dragon roars in agitation, making us all look down where Kenpachi is standing and laughing like a mad man. Multiple Heartless circle the group down below, and we charge forth with my shouting, "Bring the mayhem guys!" Renji hands me carefully to Hanataro as he jumps down to help Isane, Ikkaku blocking an Orcus that came up behind Izuru. Yumichika and Shuhei get to it as I bring the Hover Disk next to Kyoraku as he slashes through a Neoshadow. Ukitake is kneeling down as Hanataro jumps off the disk, his lips leaking red as I zoom towards him and call out, "Jushiro!" He looks up at me as I bring the disk in front of him, offering my hand and he takes it. Then I'm blocking another swing from an Orcus with my aura in my palms, my hiss adamant as I say, "Stay behind me Jushiro! I got this! Inscript the dark deity into a rotting body! FLARE!" The Orcus is washed in the spell as non-elemental magics run over it in searing power, the flames ripping it apart and I reverse the disk away as it explodes. I put my hands on Ukitake as he chokes and coughs, his entire frame shaking as I put one of his arms around me and settle us next to Kyoraku and Hanataro. Izuru comes forward with a bad gash to his shoulder, so I tell Hanataro, "Help Izuru, I got this!" He nods to help Izuru as Kyoraku steps next to us to block another Orcus. "Might want to hurry with that, Megan." I nod as I put my hands to Ukitake's heart, my hair floating up along with his as I cast. My aura blooms around us both as my eyes glow and I intone, "Blessing breeze, blow in energy! Curaga!" Lights of healing trace over Ukitake's entire frame, easing his coughing considerably as I then cast another spell over the whole group when I recite, "Share lives with all things in nature! Regen!" Everyone has orbs of orange circle their frames, the orbs popping to shower them in what looks to be pink glitter as it dances off their frames.

Kenpachi scoffs as he swings again, shouting at me, "I didn't ask for your help with this blasted kido, girl!" I give him a curt, "It goes over every ally, Kenpachi! Just shut up and make that thing bleed!" He smirks at this blatant order to say, "Gladly!" Then he charges again as I give a loud sigh. "I'm so glad he's on our side." I look Ukitake in the eyes as I ask him, "Better now?" He nods to take full breaths again. "Yes. Thank you, Megan. I appreciate-" Then he notes the red in my hair, going dead still to ask me, "What happened to you?" I smirk while he brings a hand up to my head. "I got smacked around like a ball. But Hanataro fixed me. Why, am I still leaking?" Ukitake's hand comes back bloody as he tells me, "Yes. You are." I give a sigh and cast again. "Great. Life's refreshing breeze, blow in energy. Cure." Glowing lights wash lightly over my frame, healing the cut in my head as I take my hands off of Ukitake. I reach down for my Astral Rod, it's make crafted to lessen the cost of my magic considerably to bare minimum as I wrap my fingers over the staff. Ukitake brings a hand up to lace his fingers over the staff as well to say to me, "What beautiful craftsmanship. But I would think you'd use your Keblade for this kind of fight." I shake my head. "I'm best placed as the healer of our party, I can cast spells from long range for such along with more offensive spells while the rest of them bash at the enemy." Ukitake nods as I shift us to place me in full view of the battle. "I am extremely not happy we have to fight this thing, not by a long shot." Ukitake and Kyoraku look at me, Kyoraku noting, "You know what that thing is?!" I nod and tell him, "It is the King of all Dragons on the world of Endiness, the Divine Dragon. It was sealed away due to it's massive power, but after eleven millenia broke loose and had to be slain. The one's that did so had two dragonslaying weapons to aid them, one was a sword and the other was a stave. But we have neither, hence why I'm glad Kenpachi is hear to weaken it considerably. We'd be toast if he wasn't here. But I'm wondering why it hasn't-" The dragon roars and takes to the air, and I go wide eyed to scream, "TAKE COVER! BOMBARDMENT IMMINENT!" I grab Kyoraku onto the disk and zoom over to place us in front of Hanataro and Izuru, bringing up my best shielding ward the put a visible barrier in front of us as the Divine Dragon let's loose it's Divine Dragon Ball. The area in front of the dragon is pummeled with powerful orbs of energy, a practical battalion of shots littering the area as Isane flash steps next to Izuru to take advantage of my shield. I can hear Kenpachi laughing like a mad man, Renji and ikkaku joining in as the dust clears. All three of them have a gash here or there as they charge, making me slap a hand to my head as I say, "At least somebody gets to enjoy this! Sound off! Whose not dead?!" Shuhei flashsteps next to us, and he's got a gushing wound in his leg. "That hurt..." He goes down on his knees as Isane tends to him, Kyoraku noting, "Is that the worst of it?" I shake my head and say, "It has a cannon on it's back, Shunsui. It shoots that at any of us, we are crispy. I don't even think Kenpachi could take a hit from that without getting charred." I twirl my Astral Rod to tell him, "At least I don't have to worry about the drain on my magic with this in my hands. Time to play a bit more defensively I'm thinking." I bring my Astral Rod around and intone, "Let's quicken the pace for our team and make this thing feel like a slug in comparison. Time's flowing current, place us within your whirlpool. Hasteja." The ticking of a clock's pace can be heard around us as each shinigami along with myself feels a boost, as if time has slowed for the world around us. Kenpachi notes this and asks me, "What did you do?" I smile and tell him with a smirk, "I alterred time around us all to speed our attacks and slow the enemy at the same time. In a sense, I'm toying with the laws of the universe to our advantage, Kenpachi. If I need to, I can even stop the time of the enemy so we can whale on it without a counter attack being an issue. In short, I'm playing a deity against a dragon!" Kenpachi gives me a miffed look, then he says to my astonishment, "Remind me not to take you lightly with this kido you seem to wield so damn well..." I grin like a fool to cackle out, "HAH! ALL RIGHT! That was the best compliment you could ever give me! This just made my whole damn trip! Drinks are on me when we get back to the Seireitei!" Everyone gives a smile at this announcement as I switch from Time Magics back to the White Magics. I hold up my hands and intone another spell as the others regroup around the Divine Dragon in formation. "Sovereign lights, alight upon us and revitalize. Wallja." Barriers lace over the party to shield them better from physical and magical attacks as they press forwards. Renji let's loose with his bankai the same time Ikkaku and Yumichika tag team on the opposite side, Kenpachi charging full steam for a frontal assault as Rangiku and Izuru take back point. I have Kyoraku help Hanataro and Isane chuck out Potions as needed, Shuhei sitting in front of me with a dejected look as he says, "I'm thinking it's gonna start attacking in earnest soon." I recast the Regen spell on everyone as Ukitake points out that it's dissipated for me. "I'm thinking it's gonna shoot that cannon if we don't get Kenpachi to rip it off." I no sooner mention the cannon, when the dragon roars and charges said attack at Renji. I go bug eyed and shout as loud as I can, "KENPACHI! BLOCK THAT!"

Kenpachi and Renji switch places as the cannon goes off, the whole area where Kenpachi was standing getting blown to pieces to leave a large crater in the ground and the wall for several yards. Renji presses the attack, but Kenpachi is kneeling down to put a hand to his uncovered eye, "OW! That actually hurt!" I shout at him, "The eyepatch stays on! Or you'll toast a few of us! Keep it on, Kenpachi!" The grin on his face is estatic as he shouts out, "Like I'd end this so soon?! I haven't had this much fun in ages! But now I can't see-" I point my Astral Rod and intone, "Life's refreshing breeze, heal from the sky. Cura." The lights dance over him in swirling green, his hand coming away from his eye to show not a trace of damage. He gives me a smirk to tell me, "I'd kinda love to see you use that kind of stuff on this thing." I snort at this to retort back, "No! I'm not healing our opponent. The moment I use magic on the actual dragon, it casts a potent fear charm on everything in the area. I'll gladly play defense, now get to it." Kenpachi nods as Rangiku cries out in pain, her voice wavering as I shout out, "RANGIKU! RETREAT! Shuhei, go in!" He nods and dissapears for Rangiku to fall in front of me, her shoulder badly damaged as Isane heals her. I hover over to her and ask, "What happened?!" Rangiku winces as Isane works to tell us, "The Heartless came back on our side." I growl at this bit of news, noting a few of them coming up to attack Ikkaku and Renji. I douse Rangiku in a Mega-Potion to tell her, "Go play defense for Renji and keep them off him. And pour a few Hi-Potions over him for good measure." Hanataro hands me another Mega-Potion at my request, and I throw it full force at Ikkaku. It breaks over his frame to douse him in healing as he blocks another Heartless, his grin evident as he says, "Thanks, I just got my second wind! Let's go you bastards!" I then look to Kyoraku to ask him, "You and Jushiro wanna get rid of that cannon on top? Or shall I have Kenpachi do that while the three of us take his place?" Kyoraku thinks for a second, then tells me, "Have him go up there, we'll take point." I nod and shout out, "Kenpachi! Rip that cannon off it's back already!" He laughs at this to tell me, "With pleasure!" I place myself in between Ukitake and Kyoraku to tell them, "Aim for the chest so we negate that Divine Dragon Ball attack it keeps shooting out everywhere." They both nod as I bring the Astral Rod forward and say, "Let's do this! Charge!" We push forward as I speed time for us all again with Hasteja, the Heartless descending about us to counterattack. I shoot a flurry of spells at the Heartless without qualms, Ice and Fire along with Lightning and Stop spells in a frenzy as I keep the others healed and shielded in turn. The Divine Dragon roars when Kenpachi slashes into the back and through the cannon, his explosion of reiatsu deafening as I clap my hands to my ears and hiss. The Divine Dragon sags to the side as we all press our attack, Ukitake and Kyoraku slashing at the Divine Dragon while I keep the Heartless off of them. I block a strike at Kyoraku's blind side with my Astral Rod, smacking it away to then growl at the Orcus, "Freezing winds, speak of forgotten truths! Blizzaga!" Ice magics swirl and impale the Orcus in a frenzy to then shatter through it's frame, destroying it as I lean on the Astral Rod to them point at Renji and recast the Wallja over him. "We need to finish this, or I'm going to be comatose for a month!" I tell them all, "Everyone save for Kenpachi, Renji, and Ikkaku get back a bit! I'm taking my gloves off!" I start to cast my most powerful Time Magics, when Hanataro starts shouting at me. I turn to see what's wrong, when Hanataro tackles me from the side. Red goes spraying as the Orcus slashes Hanataro open, his eyes as wide as my own as Ukitake then comes next to us and cleaves it in half. My arms go around Hanataro as he chokes and goes limp, his back ripped to shreds as I hug him to my front. "Hanataro! Hang on! Spirits of healing, give new life to the soul! Arise!" Lights shine down from above as feathers of light fall over us both, his back mending completely as I put a hand to his neck. His pulse throbs under my fingers the same time Hanataro takes a gasp of air, his eyes focusing as he coughs and chokes. I hug him to me in relief as his pulse pumps hard under my fingers, my temper flaring for me to seethe out, "Oh thank the Lord! Don't scare me like that! Okay, now I'm REALLY MAD! THIS THING DIES RIGHT NOW!"

My Hover Disk zooms under us to have me lift Hanataro with me as I bring us back a ways, my aura exploding around me as my anger ramps up the spell. I point my Astral Rod at the Divine Dragon, and I exclaim, "Stick this in your chokehole! Time has come, crash down on the wicked! METEOR!" The entire sky darkens as a massive meteor careens down from above, everyone giving shouts as I then teleport eveyone next to me to say, "I think that should even this out!" The impact shakes the whole mountain, many of the outcroppings crumbling as the Divine Dragon screams in agony, lolling it's head from side to side as I then say, "Oh Hell with this! Kenpachi, rip the eyepatch off and kill this damn thing!" His reiatsu explodes to wash over us in sheer force the moment the words leave my lips, his power overwhelming me as I hug Hanataro tight. His strikes rip the Divine Dragon to pieces with a half dozen swings, along with much of the mountain behind it as I choke at the spiritual pressure Kenpachi is letting off. I go limp along with Hanataro as we both pass out from the strangling amount of spiritual presure Kenpachi gives off. My Hover Disk settles to the ground as Renji notes we both have collapsed, placing his hands on me to lessen the pressure with his own reiatsu. His fingers trace over my shoulders as Izuru does the same for Hanataro, though my grip on Hanataro doesn't lessen when they try to bring us apart. Izuru smiles at this as the dust settles, Kenpachi laughing in glee behind them as Renji notes, "I don't think she's letting go of him anytime soon." Izuru nods to say, "She did just have a front row seat in watching him get killed protecting her." Hanataro comes to, opening his eyes to note I'm unconscious, "Oh! Megan! Is she-" Izuru shakes his head to tell him, "Megan is fine. Captain Kenpachi's spiritual pressure got her. She's completely fine, thanks to your heroics." Hanataro gives a loud sigh of relief to say, "Oh good! Though I'm guessing she used a ton of energy for that last spell." Renji nods to then look to where the Meteor landed, the entire area scorched with a large impact marking where the remnants of the Divine Dragon smolder and start dissipating into swaths of black. "No kidding. I'm not surpised she had most of us back away from the area when she did that. That was intense!" The others give noises of alarm as both the Divine Dragon and the area around us starts to smolder and blacken, the illusion of that world fading as Kenpachi gloats, "Let's hope there's more where that came from! I'd hate for this to end so soon!" In answer to his taunt, multiple Destroyed Behemouth appear from the shadows, followed by a Hunter of the Dark in the lead to roar in evident malice. Kenpachi points at the Hunter of the Dark to grin with avid excitement as he laughs and exclaims, "YOU'RE MINE!" He charges without thought, the two of them being lost to a Corridor of Darkness as Kyoraku groans out, "Great. Well, hopefully he won't get killed for us to fight later." Renji flinches at this idea to note, "I doubt that'll happen, he didn't put his eyepatch back on yet." Kyoraku nods, then organizes the troops by saying to them, "Right then. Aim for the horns and don't get killed." Ukitake unlaces my grip from Hanataro to bring me into his arms. "I'm thinking we should take care of this without Megan helping, Shunsui." Kyoraku raises and eyebrow to note I'm white as a sheet, Hanataro taking my hand to say, "Yeah, she's ice cold. She'll keel over if we wake her up to fight. I'm thinking letting her sit this one out is a good idea, Captain Ukitake." He nods to then note, "You should rest as well, Hanataro." He bows in respect to then lay down, the both of us passed out as Kyoraku smiles, "Youth is wasted on the young." Ukitake laughs at this comment to say, "Megan did just bring him back from the dead, after using most of if not all of her reryoku. I'm thinking we can forgive them both for not staying upright anymore." Kyoraku nods in agreement, "Right. Hold the fort, Jushiro." Ukitake nods as Kyoraku flash steps away, placing a hand to my neck as the others fight. He frowns as he notes how cold I am, my skin like ice as he takes off his captain's haori to lay it over me.


End file.
